Endless Love Wedding Planners

Are recommended suppliers really recommended?

2012-01-24T11:00:00.005Z

If you have started searching for wedding suppliers you will have noticed that most venues have a list of recommended suppliers in their brochure - but are they really recommended?

Many venues produce a nice glossy brochure showcasing their venue, but these come at a price. They are often paid for by suppliers advertising in the brochures and therefore becoming 'recommended' by the venue. Many people will tell you that the best way to find suppliers you can trust is to ask for recommendations, my advice would be to ask the staff at the venues rather than relying the brochure. Most venues will get to know the suppliers that regularly work at their venue so can see their work. Also ask your friends and family for recommendations, especially those that have recently planned their wedding.

The alternative is that you ask a professional wedding planner to source suppliers on your behalf. Before recommending suppliers to a client I will always ask more questions around the exact requirements, budget and overall theme/style of the wedding. That way I can find the right supplier for you, that meets your exact requirements. Suppliers often offer me a discount or fee if I recommend them to clients - please be assured that any discount or fee will always be passed on to the client. I always remain impartial to ensure that you find the right supplier for you.

To find out more about supplier searches contact me to arrange a free, no obligation consultation.

Behind the Scenes at Endless Love

2011-12-29T11:00:00.013Z

As 2011 comes to a close I thought I'd give you a sneak peek behind the scenes at Endless Love and the reasons why I haven't been updating my blog as often as I'd like to be.

In May this year I gave birth to my second child, my son Rufus. This explains the main reason I've been away! Bring up two children as well as running a business is hard work and takes a lot of planning - luckily I'm pretty good at that! I co-ordinated a wedding in July for the fabulous Tori and Lukasz (look out for an upcoming blog post with more details on that wedding soon). Then I decided to take a couple of months off to spend time with my family. In October I was back and busy working on, and taking part in a photo shoot for the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners - look out for pictures on the blog very soon. In November I was invited to view a new venue in Suffolk, Bruisyard Hall. Do take a look at the website, its a great new wedding venue.

So, what's next?

So far I have plans for a new networking event in January, a photo shoot in February, an awards ceremony in March and some major changes to my website and blog - who knows what else...

Happy New Year to all my blog readers.
Caroline.x

Merry Christmas

2011-12-22T11:00:00.001Z

Wishing all my blog readers a very Merry Christmas and all the best for a Happy New Year.

I hope to have the opportunity to work with you in 2012.

Caroline.x

Wedding A-Z: Y is for Your Day

2011-12-15T11:00:00.001Z

I'm sure most of your married friends have told you that your wedding day will fly by! It's true. There's so many people to catch up with, they will all want to congratulate you - it's not surprising if you find yourself thinking 'Where's my new wife/husband?' regularly throughout the day. If you are getting married and holding your reception at the same venue, it's difficult to find some time alone together. However, I think its important that you make time to get away and spend a few precious moments together on your wedding day.

Here are a few ideas of when you can get away:

Directly after the ceremony - ask the registrar to direct your guests to a different exit to you
Before the wedding breakfast - ask your wedding planner to ensure all of the guests are at their seats before you make a grand entrance into the room as husband and wife
Before the evening reception - take a few moments to get away and freshen up together before welcoming your evening guests
Anytime - get together in a corner of the room and just watch all your friends and family having a great time

Your wedding day is one you will remember forever - make sure you have a few special moments that you can reminisce about together.

Photo credit: Ross Dean Photography

Wedding A-Z: W is for Wedding Planner

2011-11-17T11:00:00.002Z

78% of Brides who have just got married wish they’d had a professional to help plan their wedding (source: Brides Magazine)

So, why hire a wedding planner?

You work long hours and don't have the time
The average bride spends the equivalent of 6 full time working weeks planning her wedding. Hiring a Wedding Planner means you have one dedicated contact point who will be with you from the initial consultation right through to your wedding day.

You are hiring professionals to do everything else
Hiring a Wedding Planner is becoming the natural thing to do, 26% of UK Brides do. Why not get someone in who has done it lots of times before and has the experience of making the common mistakes, so already knows the solutions! A Wedding Planner will not panic when a problem arises, they will simply look at it logically and come up with a solution.

You will save money
With a keen eye for detail, a Wedding Planner will help you set your budget and more importantly help you stick to it! Wedding Planners work with venues and suppliers on a regular basis so can negotiate discounts and savings on your behalf.

You are really organised and don’t need any help
For really organised brides a wedding planner is an essential investment, especially on the day. Whilst you are at home getting ready the morning of the wedding, you can relax in the knowledge that your wedding planner is making sure everything is as you have requested. The napkins are in the right place, the chairs are positioned correctly, the cake has arrived, the florist has worked her magic with the table decorations and the caterers and venue are prepared for your arrival. You can enjoy the day without worrying about anything.

Creativity
Whether you want a traditional wedding that adheres to the conventional etiquette or a unique, wacky original design – a Wedding Planner will give your wedding the 'wow' factor.

Your venue includes a wedding planner in their price
On-site wedding co-ordinators know everything there is to know about their venue and can recommend suppliers. An independent and professional Wedding Planner will provide a personal, bespoke service that is specifically tailored to you.

You will not be stressed
Hire a Wedding Planner to deal with all the stresses of your wedding so you don't have to. You make all the decisions, we do all the hard work.

To find out more about hiring a wedding planner visit www.endless-love.co.uk.

Wedding A-Z: M is for Money Saving Tips

2011-07-07T11:00:00.001+01:00

Weddings are costly affairs with the average spend at £19,265 in 2009 (source: You and Your Wedding magazine).

Here are my top ten tips for saving money on your wedding:

Set a budget and stick to it – use a budget planner to keep track of your budget, and ensure you have at least 5% put aside as a contingency.
Use local suppliers – by using local suppliers you will eliminate the additional costs that may be added for travel and delivery.
Get married on a week day or out of season – a lot of venues offer a discount for a non-Saturday wedding, and getting married ‘out of season’ i.e. October – April can reduce the cost too.
Use seasonal flowers in your bouquets and decorations – flowers that are not in season can cost up to twice as much as those that are. Work with your florist to choose seasonal flowers and keep the costs on track.
Serve your wedding cake as dessert – wedding cakes can cost as much as £500-£600, serving your cake as dessert can dramatically reduce your catering costs.
Think carefully about your guest list – around 40% of your budget will be spent on the reception; consider a smaller, more intimate ceremony and a big party in the evening.
Make your own playlist – instead of hiring a Band or DJ, create your own playlist and use an mp3 player, ask your guests to suggest some tracks when they RSVP.
Make your own invitations – you can buy everything you need to make your own invitations at a craft shop. Cut back on postage as well by hand delivering them where you can.
Shop around for your wedding attire – look in high street stores as well as boutiques and don’t try on anything that is out of your price range. Once you find your dream outfit, ring around other suppliers to see if you can get a better price.
Hire a Wedding Planner – wedding planners work with venues and suppliers on a regular basis so can negotiate savings and discounts on your behalf which can significantly reduce your costs, as well as covering the fee to hire a wedding planner!

If you would like help planning your wedding, visit our website to find out how Endless Love Wedding Planners can help. We offer a range of services from a bespoke hourly advice session to full wedding planning, including on the day co-ordination. Contact Caroline Gould on 01473 681201 or 07906 705191 for further information.

Wedding A-Z: I is for Intimacy

2011-05-26T11:00:00.004+01:00

Have you thought about your wedding night?

The first night you spend together as husband and wife can be very meaningful and romantic. It can also make you feel under pressure to have great sex when you are actually completely shattered and just want to sleep!

Here's just a few top tips for enjoying your wedding night:

Take your time and set the scene
Spend some time talking about the day, share some of your favourite moments
Pack a bag - make sure you have prepared for your wedding night and the day after. I know a bride who ended up wearing her wedding dress the day after her wedding as she forgot to pack a change of clothes!
Have a snack - its likely that you will have spent your wedding day celebrating and catching up with all your guests, you may not have eaten very much!

Just remember that the only people who know what happens on your wedding night are the two of you so please don't worry about it!

Getting Married Again

2011-05-19T11:00:00.003+01:00

Second marriages are becoming more and more common. Planning your second wedding (or third, or forth even) will be a very different experience to doing it for the first time. You are probably that bit older and wiser and want to get better value for money. You will also want the actual wedding day to be different to your first. Perhaps your first wedding signifies a marriage that failed so what better reason than to make this wedding completely different.

There are several things you need to consider though:

Do you/your partner have children? Do you want them to be included in the ceremony? Do you want a big wedding or would you prefer to keep it low-key?

You may want to place more emphasis on the actual ceremony this time around, as it might feel more important to you or you might want to get away from it all and get married abroad.

Lots of venues have a civil ceremony licence, so the days of a church wedding and hotel reception are definitely over. You can even get married in Snape Maltings Concert Hall, or for a historical feel how about Christchurch Mansion or Kentwell Hall?

There are so many different ways you could get married, if you are getting married for the second time and want a break from planning it – hire a wedding planner to deal with the stresses so you don’t have to. By hiring Endless Love, you make all the decisions and we do all the hard work!

Photo credit: Gorgeous Bride

Royal Wedding Preview

2011-04-28T11:00:00.001+01:00

I'm sure you haven't failed to notice that there is a very big event happening in London tomorrow! The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton takes place at Westminster Abbey at 11am, but there will be lots happening all day.

The Official Royal Wedding website has released detailed timings for the day as follows:

8.15 -9.45am The general congregation will arrive at the Great North Door of Westminster Abbey.
From 9.50am Governors-General and Prime Ministers of Realm Countries, the Diplomatic Corps, and other distinguished guests arrive at the Abbey.
10.10am The Bridegroom and Prince Henry of Wales leave Clarence House for Westminster Abbey. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.15am.
10.20am Members of Foreign Royal Families arrive at Westminster Abbey from Buckingham Palace.
10.20am Mrs. Michael (Carole) Middleton and Mr. James Middleton leave the Goring Hotel for Westminster Abbey. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.27am.
10.25am Members of the Royal Family (except those listed below) leave Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.30am.
10.35am The following Members of the Royal Family leave Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.40am: The Duke of York, Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie or York, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence
10.38am The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall leave Clarence House for Westminster Abbey. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.42am.
10.40am The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh leave Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.45am.
10.48am The Bridesmaids and Pages leave the Goring Hotel for Westminster Abbey. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.55am.
10.51am The Bride, accompanied by Mr. Michael Middleton, leaves the Goring Hotel for Westminster Abbey.
11.00am The Marriage Service begins. The Marriage Service will be relayed by audio speakers along the Route.
12.15pm The Carriage Procession of the Bride and Bridegroom with a Captain’s Escort of the Household Cavalry, followed by The Queen’s Procession with a Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry, leaves Westminster Abbey for Buckingham Palace.
12.30pm The Bride’s Carriage Procession arrives at Buckingham Palace.
12.40pm Members of the Royal Family and Members of Foreign Royal Families arrive at Buckingham Palace.
From 12.40pm Other guests for the Reception arrive at Buckingham Palace.
1.25pm The Queen and the Bride and Bridegroom, together with their Families, appear on the Balcony.
1.30pm Fly Past by the Royal Air Force and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Miss Catherine Middleton, accompanied by her immediate family, will spend the night before the wedding at the Goring Hotel. This was the Middleton family’s personal choice.
All arrivals at Westminster Abbey are at the Great West Door unless otherwise indicated.

The wedding will be shown on various big screens in London as well as extensive coverage on all the main TV channels. I've already booked my seat on the sofa in front of my mun & dad's new big screen TV - my 3 year old daughter is most excited to see a real life princess getting married!

Where will you be watching the Royal Wedding?

Wedding A-Z: G is for Groom

2011-04-21T11:00:00.012+01:00

It can be very easy to get so absorbed in planning your wedding that you forget about your groom! Make sure you are including him in at least some of the planning - here's a few suggestions:

Get him to view venues with you - it's important that you choose a venue that you both like
Ask his opinion on flowers and colour schemes
Ask him to research Bands or DJ's
Ask him to help choose the menu

Direct him over to the Staggered website as well - it's a wedding website developed especially for men.

Their tag line sums it up for me: Weddings, Blokes, Sorted!

Enjoy!

Choosing the Perfect Dress

2011-04-07T11:00:00.002+01:00

Part of my job involves going along with brides to search for their perfect dress – as a wedding planner, I can provide a no nonsense, impartial opinion and relate that to how the style of dress will fit with the overall theme and design of the wedding, as well as how well the style suits the bride.

The first thing most brides to be will do as soon as they get engaged is buy a stack of wedding magazine and start turning the page corners of the wedding dresses they like. A pattern will soon emerge and there is likely to be a style of dress that you continually go back to - but try not to set your heart on something purely based on a picture. Think about the outfits you have in your wardrobe and try to go with a similar style to your favourite dress. It’s your favourite dress because it fits you well and you feel comfortable in it.

Keep an open mind when going to try on dresses, and remember that the dress designers fit brides in wedding dresses every day so they really do know what they’re talking about – ask them for their opinion.

A strapless full gown doesn’t suit everyone, yet it is one of the most popular styles of wedding dress. You can still feel like a Princess in other styles. For example; if you are slightly larger in the bust area (like me!), you could really benefit from some structure and probably some straps to help you feel more secure (particularly for dancing!).

Most importantly you need to feel comfortable, the last thing anyone wants to see at a wedding is a bride constantly pulling up her dress or fiddling with the straps …and you just want to enjoy the day. Dress designers can work wonders with a needle and thread, my underwear was sewn into my dress when I got married so I didn’t have to worry about any unruly bra straps!

Good luck with your search for ‘The Dress’, if you would like a no nonsense impartial opinion when dress shopping contact us to find out how Endless Love could help you.

Wedding A-Z: F is for Food

2011-03-31T11:00:00.020+01:00

Deciding what to serve your guests to eat is a tough decision. Do you go for something you like? Or, do you try to please all of your guests by choosing a menu that will (hopefully) suit everyone?

Here's a few things to think about when choosing the food for your wedding:

What time is the wedding ceremony? If you are getting married at 3pm most guests will likely have lunch before they leave home, however if the wedding is at 1pm they may not have time to eat beforehand.
Will you serve a formal sit down meal or a more informal buffet style?
How many times will you feed your guests? Will you have a sit down meal in the afternoon followed by a buffet in the evening?
Will you be serving anything else? i.e. canapes?

Here's a few ideas to 'mix it up' when it comes to food:

Why not have a candy bar? Guests can help themselves to your very own pick n' mix sweets, the candy bar can easily be themed to match your wedding colours, or simply to include the sweets you like.
Serve bacon rolls at around 11pm - we did this at a wedding I planned last year and they went down a treat!
To keep the costs of a 3-course meal down, serve canape's with the reception drinks and follow it with a main and dessert course.

What will you serve at your wedding?

Picture credit: Talbooth Catering

Endless Love in the Press - A Royal Wedding in Suffolk

2011-03-24T11:00:00.011Z

Have you seen the latest issue of Pure Weddings magazine? It features an article I have written about the royal wedding - here's the article:

Prince William and Kate Middleton will be married at Westminster Abbey on Friday 29 April, followed by a reception at Buckingham Palace – but how would I plan the wedding if it were to take place in Suffolk?

Venue
One of my favourite venues in Suffolk is Hengrave Hall near Bury St Edmunds. I think it would be perfect for a Royal Wedding in Suffolk. There is a private church in the grounds and the main house is just a stones throw away. With sumptuous accommodation and a great selection of rooms which would be exclusively yours on the day – it’s the perfect location for a royal wedding in Suffolk.

Food
I think a traditional drinks reception would suit Kate and William with champagne and canapés served on the west Terrace – maybe with a great duo act like Mango Acoustic providing some background music, accompanied by garden games on the lawn.
This would then be followed by a traditional sit down wedding breakfast. Talbooth Catering do all of the catering at Hengrave Hall and I think they could create a bespoke menu fit for a Prince!.

Transport
It has already been announced that Kate will be going against royal tradition and will be travelling to her wedding in a car, rather than the glass carriage. The great thing about the venue I have chosen is that the bride and groom can get ready there as well (in separate rooms of course), so would be able to walk through the beautiful grounds of Hengrave Hall straight to the church.

Dress
For Kate it has to be a bespoke gown made just for her. We are very lucky to have a fabulous designer here in Suffolk who has made dresses for royalty before, Clare Perkins from Silk Rose. Clare’s design for Kate is a high regal lace neckline with long finely beaded lace sleeves, a bias cut silk bodice that flares out at the thigh. With lace godets inserted all around the bottom of the dress and a cathedral length train at the back this dress would make anyone feel like a Princess.
I would love to see her bridesmaids in shorter gowns with some fabulous shoes, maybe in a gentle spring lemon colour.

Suits
I think the men should go for something traditional, perhaps black or charcoal morning suits for William, Harry and their father, Prince Charles. It would great to see the groomsmen taking on the colour of the bridesmaids too.

Design
I think the overall design of the wedding should be traditional with a modern twist. There will be certain things with a royal wedding that can’t be compromised, like the guest list for example, but there are lots of areas where Kate can have the freedom to choose what she wants.

If you would like help planning your wedding, visit our website to find out how Endless Love can help. We offer a range of services from a bespoke hourly advice session to full wedding planning, including on the day co-ordination. Contact Caroline Gould on 01473 681201 or 07906 705191 for more information.

Wedding A-Z: E is for Emergency!

2011-03-17T11:00:00.016Z

In the past you may have heard me talk about my wedding day emergency kit. This is my box of tricks that contains everything I might need on a wedding day to resolve any kind of problem that may crop up. This is something I naturally bring along if you hire me for On the Day Co-ordination, to ensure I am well prepared for any eventuality.

Now I don't expect all Brides to have quite as extensive a kit as I do, but there are certainly a few essentials I would recommend throwing in a bag and leaving at the venue 'just in case'.

baby wipes (great stain removers)
chocolate
deodorant
hair grips
hairspray
hand held mini fan
hankerchiefs
mints/breath spray
paracetamol/asprin
party feet
plasters
safety pins
scissors
sellotape
sewing kit
stain remover
sting relief
tampons, panty liners etc.
tissues
white chalk

What's the one essential thing you have in your emergency kit?

Guest Book Cheat Sheet

2011-03-10T11:00:00.001Z

Are you one of those people who knows exactly what to write when the guest book lands in front of you? Or are you like me? You really want to write a meaningful and memorable message for the bride and groom but as soon as you have the pen in your hand you go completely blank!

Why not give your guests a steer in the right direction with a cheat sheet to get them started, here are some message inspirations:

The time is .......... and I'm feeling ..........
In three words I see the bride and groom as ..........
The highlight of the day so far for me has been ..........
My favourite memory of these two together is ..........
My crystal ball tells me that in five years time these two are ..........
To guarantee they live happily ever after, the best marriage survival tip I can offer is ..........
A personal message to the bride and groom from me ..........
My name is .......... and my relationship to the bride and groom is ..........

What did you last write in a wedding guest book?

Photo: UK Greeting Cards

Wedding A-Z: D is for Dance

2011-03-03T11:00:00.018Z

Your first dance as a married couple is an opportunity to show your personality and love for one another and traditionally gets the party started.

So what will you do for your first dance? Do you have a 'song'? Some couples have a particular song that means something to them and their relationship together. Whilst a slow love song might seem the most obvious choice it is perfectly acceptable to choose a more upbeat number. If you want to you can even take lessons beforehand and hire a professional to choreograph a routine for you.

Take a look at Best Wedding Dances for some great examples of first dances. However, make sure you get a cuppa before you visit - you will be on this site for hours!!

For song suggestions, you can check out sites like You and Your Wedding or First Dance UK for 'top ten' lists. I decided to do a poll of my family and friends and this is their list of first dance songs:

Marylin Monroe - I Wanna Be Loved By You

Elton John - Your Song
The Beatles - I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Lonestar - Baby I'm Amazed By You
Ben E King - Stand By Me
Bon jovi - Always
Delta Goodrem - Fortune & Love
Texas - So In Love With You
Tom Baxter - Better
Ronan Keating - Superman
Frank Sinatra - Fly me to the Moon
Extreme - More Than Words
Take That - A Million Love Songs
My first dance was 'The Way You Look Tonight' by Frank Sinatra. My husband and I took dance lessons and we did a Foxtrot.

What will you do for your first dance?

Come and Meet Endless Love

2011-02-24T11:00:00.004Z

Endless Love will be exhibiting at the Suffolk Wedding Show this weekend - here are the details:

Sunday 27th February 2011

Wherstead Park, The Street, Wherstead, Ipswich, Suffolk IP9 2BJ

11.00am - 3.30pm

Free entry!

Endless Love will be in the atrium at stand number 27, come and meet Caroline and have an informal chat with her about how she can help you plan your wedding.

We will also be launching a very special discount offer on our forthcoming Wedding Planning Workshop which will only be available to Suffolk Wedding Show visitors so come along and find out more!

We look forward to meeting you there.

Don't forget to read my top tips for Getting the Most out of Wedding Fairs before you go!

Wedding A-Z: C is for Ceremony

2011-02-17T11:00:00.006Z

Choosing the type of wedding ceremony to have is one of the most important decisions you will make. Forget about the dress, the beautiful flowers and the colour scheme for a moment and take some time to think about the serious commitment you are making to one another. There are many, many options when it comes to the marriage ceremony so I have included the most popular below:

Church of England

The Church of England has its own website dedicated to weddings that will give you all the information you need to know about planning a church wedding. See the Your Church Wedding website for more information.

Civil Ceremony

You can marry in a civil ceremony at any Register Office ceremony room or at any licensed approved premises. For civil marriages you do not have to marry in the area in which you live. The ceremony is conducted by a registrar. See Getting Married in Suffolk and the Celebrate in Suffolk brochure for more information.

Please click on the links for more information about each of the above. Unfortunately I don't have enough hours in my week to research the many different types of ceremony available and all of the detailed requirements for each one - however as soon as I have a new client it's one of the things I love learning more about. For example: I planned a wedding for a Polish bride last September and learnt an awful lot about Polish wedding traditions!

Contact us now if you would like to find out how Endless Love can help you plan your wedding.

Picture Credit:
St Mary at Stoke Church, Suffolk Churches
Civil Ceremony, Seckford Hall

Wedding Planning Workshops

2011-02-10T11:00:00.001Z

Would you like to plan your own wedding but don't know where to start?

Come along to our interactive workshop that will give you the knowledge and tools needed to plan a stress free wedding on budget.

Sunday 13 March 2011

9.00am - 12.30pm

Ufford Park Hotel, Golf & Spa

You will go home knowing how to have a stress free wedding, how to save money, how to work with suppliers and much more. Below is an example of a mood board:

Everyone that attends the workshop will make a mood board for their wedding, a great keepsake and a great place to start thinking about your theme.

Just £50 per person or £75 for two
Places are limited | Refreshments will be provided

"The fee for the workshop was small compared to the money we saved"
Kathryn Quinton, Wedding in July 2010

If you would like to know more about the workshops, please call me on 01473 681201 or 07906 705191. You can also contact me via my website http://www.endless-love.co.uk/.

Wedding A-Z: B is for Budget

2011-02-03T11:00:00.005Z

Weddings are costly affairs with the average spend at £19,265 in 2009 (source: You and Your Wedding magazine). One of the most important things you will do when planning your wedding is setting your budget - you may have some money put aside for your special day, now is the time to think about how much you feel is reasonable to spend on all the elements of your wedding. It may also be worth setting up a dedicated wedding bank account to start saving.

Here are my top ten tips for saving money on your wedding:

1. Set a budget and stick to it – use a budget planner to keep track of your budget, and ensure you have at least 5% put aside as a contingency.

2. Use local suppliers – by using local suppliers you will eliminate the additional costs that may be added for travel and delivery.

3. Get married on a week day or out of season – a lot of venues offer a discount for a non-Saturday wedding, and getting married ‘out of season’ i.e. October – April can reduce the cost too.

4. Use seasonal flowers in your bouquets and decorations – flowers that are not in season can cost up to twice as much as those that are. Work with your florist to choose seasonal flowers and keep the costs on track.

5. Serve your wedding cake as dessert – wedding cakes can cost as much as £500-£600, serving your cake as dessert can dramatically reduce your catering costs.

6. Think carefully about your guest list – around 40% of your budget will be spent on the reception; consider a smaller, more intimate ceremony and a big party in the evening.

7. Make your own playlist – instead of hiring a Band or DJ, create your own playlist and use an mp3 player, ask your guests to suggest some tracks when they RSVP.

8. Make your own invitations – you can buy everything you need to make your own invitations at a craft shop. Cut back on postage as well by hand delivering them where you can.

9. Shop around for your wedding attire – look in high street stores as well as boutiques and don’t try on anything that is out of your price range. Once you find your dream outfit, ring around other suppliers to see if you can get a better price.

10. Hire a Wedding Planner – wedding planners work with venues and suppliers on a regular basis so can negotiate savings and discounts on your behalf which can significantly reduce your costs, as well as covering the fee to hire a wedding planner!

If you would like help planning your wedding, visit http://www.endless-love.co.uk/ to find out how Endless Love can help. We offer a range of services from a bespoke hourly advice session to full wedding planning, including on the day co-ordination. Contact Caroline Gould on 01473 681201 or 07906 705191 for further information and to arrange a free, no obligation consultation.

Wedding Planning Workshops

2011-01-27T11:00:00.003Z

Sunday 13 March 2011

9.00am - 12.30pm

Ufford Park Hotel, Golf & Spa

You will go home knowing how to have a stress free wedding, how to save money, how to work with suppliers and much more.

Just £50 per person or £75 for two

Places are limited | Refreshments will be provided

"The fee for the workshop was small compared to the money we saved"
Kathryn Quinton, Wedding in July 2010

If you would like to know more about the workshops, please call me on 01473 681201 or 07906 705191. You can also contact me via my website http://www.endless-love.co.uk/

Wedding A-Z: A is for Attire

2011-01-20T11:00:00.002Z

Keep an open mind when going to try on dresses, and remember that the dress designers fit brides in wedding dresses every day so they really do know what they’re talking about – ask them for their opinion.

A strapless full gown doesn’t suit everyone, yet it is one of the most popular styles of wedding dress. You can still feel like a Princess in other styles. For example; if you are slightly larger in the bust area (like me!), you could really benefit from some structure and probably some straps to help you feel more secure (particularly for dancing!).

Most importantly you need to feel comfortable, the last thing anyone wants to see at a wedding is a bride constantly pulling up her dress or fiddling with the straps …and you just want to enjoy the day. Dress designers can work wonders with a needle and thread, my underwear was sewn into my dress when I got married so I didn’t have to worry about any unruly bra straps!

Good luck with your search for ‘The Dress’, if you would like to ready my story of how i found my wedding dress, click here to read my post on it from August last year. If you would like a no nonsense impartial opinion when dress shopping contact us to find out how Endless Love could help you.

Picture credit: The Wedding Place

Questions to ask your Wedding Planner

2011-01-13T11:00:00.028Z

If you are getting married in 2011 now is the time to start thinking about hiring a wedding planner. Hiring a wedding planner can be a significant investment of your wedding budget. Here are just a few questions you should ask wedding planners when considering who to hire:

How long have you been planning weddings? How many weddings have you planned?
You should not expect a big number here! If a wedding planner is going to assist you in planning your wedding, do you really want them to be planning lots of other weddings at the same time? To plan a wedding well takes a lot of time; researching, negotiating and finding the suppliers that are just perfect for the client and their budget. You should be suspicious if your wedding planner says they plan over about 10 per year. Most wedding planners will only have around 3 or 4 in progress at any one time as there will be an awful lot of detailed work involved with each one. As some of you will know my background is in hotel based wedding co-ordination. During this time I would often have around 40 weddings on the go at any one time, but please remember that I was only dealing with the things that happened at the hotel and I had a massive team of staff that ran the events on the day (sometimes two at a time!). Having worked on a large number of weddings like this means that I really appreciate the care and attention that is needed to produce beautiful, unique events from start to finish, and can really focus on every detail when I am only working on a couple at a time.

What experience/qualifications do you have?
Anyone can set-up in business as a wedding planner, it’s really important that you interview potential wedding planners to find out what makes them the right planner for you. Ask about the training courses they have undertaken and organisations they belong to. I trained with the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners (UKAWP) and since I launched Endless Love I have been an associate member. This means I adhere to the UKAWP’s code of ethics:

Respond to enquiries within 48 hours.
Respect client confidentiality.
Disclose all suppliers that they have a vested interest in.
Always pass discounts and/or commission onto the client.
Ensure their Public Liability insurance is up to date.
Never give client details to any third party unless for the sole purpose of the wedding.
Respect copyright of all planners, co-ordinators and related suppliers.
Represent each client fairly and honestly.

How do you keep up to date with industry news and wedding trends?
You will find most wedding planners are very active in the world of social media, with twitter accounts, facebook fan pages and blogs (like this). Do some research in advance of meeting potential wedding planners; take a look at their website, follow them on twitter, become a fan of their page on facebook and read their blog. All of this will help you get to know them and find out more about their business.

Are you married?
If a wedding planner is married themselves the will have had the unique experience of what it’s like to be the Bride and deal with all the stresses of the wedding day. Hiring a planner (even just for the wedding day) means you can have a relaxing and enjoyable morning getting ready with your bridesmaids as your wedding planner will be at the venue making sure everything is set-up as you wish and that any problems are resolved quickly and efficiently, usually without your knowledge of anything going wrong.

All good wedding planners will offer a free consultation so you will have the opportunity to get to know them before you make a decision. Your wedding planner will become a big part of your life over the next year or so – it’s important that you like them and get on with them!

To find out how Endless Love could help you plan your wedding, contact us now to arrange a free, no obligation consultation.

Photo credit: Ross Dean Photography

Where to start...

2011-01-06T11:00:00.029Z

Were you lucky enough to get a marriage proposal as a Christmas present? My congratulations to you if you are newly engaged and about to embark on the exciting journey of planning your wedding.

In this post I'm going to give you a few pointers as to the first things you need to do now that you're engaged.

Tell People - you can put a formal announcement in the press if you wish, but most people ring around family and friends to tell them their exciting news.
Set a realistic budget - you may have some money put aside for your special day, now is the time to think about how much you feel is reasonable to spend on all the elements of your wedding. It may also be worth setting up a dedicated wedding bank account to start saving.
Draft a Guest List - it will be difficult to book a venue (and ultimately set a date) if you don't know how many people are going to be there. Some venues will only be licenced up to a certain number and you don't want to cram all of your guests in. Likewise, you wouldn't want your 80 guests to be lost in a room big enough for 300.
Must Haves - any newly engaged couple will have ideas of what they want to happen on their wedding day. Now is the time to talk to your partner and agree on a few 'must haves' that are important to you both for your wedding and will take priority. It may be that your cake is a certain flavour, the bride's mum does the flowers, or you go somewhere really special for your honeymoon...

Visit my blog weekly for lots of planning tips, advice, inspiration and supplier features.

If this all seems too much, you can hire a Wedding Planner to guide you through the entire planning process - see our website for more information on how Endless Love can help you have a stress free wedding day and planning experience. Including information about the next Wedding Planning Workshop on Sunday 13 March - the perfect way to spend a morning; learning everything you need to know to plan your wedding.

Happy Planning!

Photo Credit: Tiffany & Co.

Merry Christmas from Endless Love

2010-12-23T11:00:00.006Z

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and all the best for a Happy New Year.

I hope to have the opportunity to work with you in 2011.

Caroline.x

To invite or not to invite children to your wedding

2010-12-02T11:00:00.000Z

When considering your invitation list it's important to think about whether you want to include children at your wedding or if you would prefer an 'adults only' celebration.

Saying no to children
If you don't want to have children at your wedding then simply don't invite them. But how do you tell your friends and family that you don't want their children to attend your wedding? Here are a few ideas:

State on the invitations that the wedding will be adults only
Call friends and family and tell them in advance of your intention to avoid causing offence. If they are true friends they will understand.

You need to be quite cautious on this one. It’s not fair to invite one child just because you think they would make a great flower girl/page boy for the photos!

As a parent myself I wouldn’t be offended if my daughter wasn’t invited to a wedding – I would look on it as an opportunity to have a child free day and really enjoy myself with my husband. Weddings are not the most exciting event for young children and I know that my daughter would have just as much fun (or maybe more) spending the day with her grandparents! However, not all parents will feel this way and you may find yourselves receiving a few negative RSVPs.

Saying yes to children

If you do decide to invite children to your wedding make sure there is something for them to do during the parts of the day when they are likely to get restless - during the ceremony and speeches for example. Here are a few ideas of things to keep the kids amused:

Provide all the children with a goody bag with a few quiet toys to play with, colouring sets, sticker books etc.
Think about food and drinks for the children. Your venue or caterer will usually supply a smaller version of your menu or a separate menu for children. Most children will be happy with a jug of squash. If in doubt, ask their parents for advice.
If you have a lot of children attending consider hiring a company like Kidzone who will run a creche for as long as you require to keep the children amused.

It's important to remember that its your wedding day so is ultimately your decision whether or not to invite children.

If you would like to find out how Endless Love could help you plan your wedding, contact us now for a free, no obligation consultation.

Photo Credit: Highland Wedding Bells

A Royal Wedding

2010-11-25T11:00:00.001Z

As I'm sure most of you know Prince William and Kate Middleton have announced their engagement and the date is set for Friday 29th April 2011 at Westminster Abbey.

All of the wedding industry is speculating about the design of the wedding, what Kate will wear, who will be on the guest list? Well, YOU could be on that invite list! It has been reported that 100 members of the public will be invited to the royal wedding.
'William and Kate wanted the British people involved at a deeper level than simply holding street parties,' one insider at St James’s Palace revealed. 'They were crystal clear on this from the outset and were delighted when the idea of a random selection was mooted.' 'Those lucky enough to land an invitation will only find out when it drops on their door mat.'

I would absolutely love it if an invitation dropped through my door, what a fantastic experience to actually be there on the day! Hmmmm, what would i wear?!

Wedding Facts

2010-11-18T11:00:00.012Z

Today I thought I'd share with you some interesting facts about weddings that I've been gathering the past few months:

Brides carry or wear "something old" on their wedding day to symbolize continuity with the past.
The "something blue" in a bridal ensemble symbolizes purity, fidelity, and love.
Tie the knot comes from Roman times, when the bride wore a girdle tied in knots that the groom later untied.
About 70% of all brides sport the traditional diamond on the fourth finger of their left hand
The bride stands to the groom's left during a Christian ceremony, because in bygone days the groom needed his right hand free to fight off other suitors.
Engagement and wedding rings are worn on the 4th finger of the left hand because it was thought that a vein in that finger led directly to the heart. The vein was called vena amori, or the vein of love, and early writings on matrimonial procedure suggested that it would be appropriate for one's wedding ring to be worn on that special finger.
Queen Victoria started the Western world's white wedding dress trend in 1840 - before then, brides simply wore their best dress.
In English tradition, Wednesday is considered the "best day" to marry, although Monday is for wealth and Tuesday is for health. Saturday is the unluckiest wedding day, according to English folklore. Funny, it's the most popular day of the week to marry!
British law states that for a wedding in the UK to be legal the venue needs to be licensed by the local registrar it must have a roof and be moored to its foundations, and must take place between 8am and 6pm, an antiquated law first drawn up before electricity to stop people accidentally marrying the wrong person in the dark!

The Any Campaign has been set-up to try to get these laws relaxed so that we can all have the wedding of our dreams! Please visit their website and sign the petition - I have!

If you would like help planning your wedding please contact Endless Love for a free, no obligation consultation.

Thank you from Mother of the Bride

2010-11-11T11:00:00.001Z

I just wanted to share with you the lovely thank you note I received from the mother of the bride from a recent wedding - I'll let her do the talking...

"As Mother of the Bride I was pleased that I didn’t have to deal with any problems on the day and that all cash payments to suppliers were taken care of. Everything ran very smoothly and I enjoyed the day knowing you were there to make sure it all DID run to perfection.

I would always recommend that a Mother of the Bride has a planner at least for the day. It meant I could really relax and enjoy my daughter’s wedding.

Caroline, you did a wonderful job and thank you."

If you would like to find out how Endless Love could help you plan your wedding please contact us for a free, no obligation consultation.

Wedding Planning Workshops

2010-11-04T11:00:00.007Z

Sunday 13 March 2011

9.00am - 12.30pm

Ufford Park Hotel, Golf & Spa

You will go home knowing how to have a stress free wedding, how to save money, how to work with suppliers and much more.

£50 per person or £75 for two

Places are limited | Refreshments will be provided

"The fee for the workshop was small compared to the money we saved"
Kathryn Quinton, Wedding in July 2010

If you would like to know more about the workshops, please call me on 01473 681201 or 07906 705191. You can also contact me via my website www.endless-love.co.uk

Post Wedding Blues

2010-10-28T11:00:00.019+01:00

You spend months or even years planning your wedding so its not surprising that 1 in 10 brides suffer from post wedding blues. With all the wedding talk, planning and thoughts running through your mind its difficult to return to 'normal' life again after your wedding. Here's some suggestions for getting over the post-wedding blues:

Prolong your wedding celebrations by getting everyone together for breakfast or lunch the day after the wedding
Invite some friends round to look through your photographs or watch your wedding video
Get the bridal party together for a meal out - they will all enjoy reminicing about your special day
Make some time together, plan a special meal or visit the cinema, remember where you used to go when you first started dating?

Your wedding day is the start of your married life together - make sure you talk to each other when things get tough. Marriage is not easy - you do have to work at it ...and if you really do miss the planning, start thinking about your first anniversary celebrations!

If you need any help, contact Endless Love - we can help with your special event as well as your wedding!

Love Quotation

2010-10-21T11:00:00.000+01:00

"I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out."

Larry S. Chengges

Wedding Reading - V

2010-10-14T11:00:00.005+01:00

I'll Be There For You by Louise Cuddon

I'll be there my darling, through thick and through thin 

When your mind's in a mess and your head's in a spin 
When your plane's been delayed, and you've missed the last train. 
When life is just threatening to drive you insane 
When your thrilling whodunit has lost its last page 
When somebody tells you, you're looking your age 
When your coffee's too cool, and your wine is too warm 
When the forecast said "Fine", but you're out in a storm 
When your quick break hotel, turns into a slum 
And your holiday photos show only your thumb 
When you park for five minutes in a resident's bay 
And return to discover you've been towed away 
When the jeans that you bought in hope or in haste 
Just stick on your hips and don't reach round your waist 
When the food you most like brings you out in red rashes 
When as soon as you boot up the bloody thing crashes 
So my darling, my sweetheart, my dear... 
When you break a rule, when you act the fool 
When you've got the flu, when you're in a stew 
When you're last in the queue, don't feel blue 'cause
I'm telling you, I'll be there.

Come and Meet Endless Love

2010-10-07T11:00:00.021+01:00

Endless Love Wedding Planners will be exhibiting at the following wedding fair this weekend:

The Suffolk Wedding Show
Sunday 10 October
11am-3.30pm
Wherstead Park, Ipswich

Come and meet Caroline and find out more about wedding planners and how Endless Love will exceed you expectiations, not your budget.

You make all the decisions, we do all the hard work!

Play review: For Better For Worse

2010-09-30T11:00:00.002+01:00

Last Saturday I went to the Seckford Theatre in Woodbridge to watch the Deben Players latest production; For Better For Worse.

The play is set in the warm month of July, present day. It’s the morning of Sheila’s wedding day.

It's the last few remaining hours leading up to the wedding of Sheila, Dorothy and Trevor's daughter. Unfortunately, the morning runs far from smoothly and it's not long before "the best laid plans" begin to spiral out of control. What is wrong with the bridesmaid? Where is the groom? Who is Emmanuel? Why have the emergency services turned up at the door? and is Victoria all she would have us believe?

The play takes you on a journey through a morning of what should be a Brides' happiest day. This comedy has a farcical nature based on the tried and tested structure of mishap, mayhem and misunderstanding.

The play is no longer showing as I attended the final night. However, if it is shown again I'd thoroughly recommend a visit. It's a fab night out for you and your bridesmaids and will get you in the 'wedding' mood!

Wedding Reading - IV

2010-09-23T11:00:00.002+01:00

On Your Wedding Day Author Unknown

Today is a day you will always remember

The greatest in anyone's life
You'll start off the day just two people in love
And end it as Husband and Wife
It's a brand new beginning the start of a journey
With moments to cherish and treasure
And although there'll be times when you both disagree
These will surely be outweighed by pleasure
You'll have heard many words of advice in the past
When the secrets of marriage were spoken
But you know that the answers lie hidden inside
Where the bond of true love lies unbroken
So live happy forever as lovers and friends
It's the dawn of a new life for you
As you stand there together with love in your eyes
From the moment you whisper 'I do'
And with luck, all your hopes, and your dreams can be real
May success find it's way to your hearts
Tomorrow can bring you the greatest of joys
But today is the day it all starts

Endless Love Bridal Fashion Show

2010-09-16T11:00:00.041+01:00

If you haven't heard already, I'm currently organising the very first Endless Love Bridal Fashion Show. Here are the details:

Thursday 21 October

Belstead Brook Hotel, Ipswich IP2 9HB

7.30pm

Tickets £10 in advance (£15 on the night)
Group booking of 4 just £35 in advance (£50 on the night)
Ticket includes a glass of sparkling wine, and all brides will receive a fantastic goody bag!

The evening will be compared by BBC Radio Suffolk Presenter Rob Dunger

Tickets can be purchased in advance from the Endless Love stand at the following wedding fayres:

East Anglia Wedding Fayre
Sunday 19 September
11am-4pm

Belstead Brook Hotel, Ipswich

Suffolk Wedding Show

Sunday 10 October
11am-3.30pm

Wherstead Park, Ipswich

You can also buy your tickets from Caroline Gould directly by calling her on 07906 705191 or emailing caroline.gould@endless-love.co.uk

Come and 'Like' our new Endless Love Bridal Fashion Show page on Facebook

Wedding Reading - III

2010-09-09T11:00:00.000+01:00

Our Great Adventure by Pamela Dugdale

We are today still dizzy with the astonishment of love. 

We are surrounded by affection - by smiles and kindliness, by flowers and music and gifts and celebration. 
Yet they enclose a silence  where we are close with one another.
My eyes see only you.  I hear nothing but the words we speak to one another 
This is the day we start out life together. 
This is our new beginning.

Getting the most out of Wedding Fairs

2010-09-02T11:00:00.018+01:00

September tends to bring the start of Wedding Fair season. It can be quite overwhelming walking into a room full of wedding suppliers so here's my top tips for getting the most out of wedding fairs:

Look at the stand – is it well presented, are the people well presented?
Look at the exhibitor list in advance and identify the suppliers you want to speak to.
Does the supplier ask you questions? Do they seem interested in your wedding?
Are they offering you a sample of their work?
Don’t be sucked in by ‘one day only’ special offers. If they are a good company, you should get the best deal whenever you choose to purchase.
Take someone with you so you can discuss your ideas.
Take a camera and a notepad – use them!
Once you have looked around have a coffee, sit down and reflect on what you have seen. Decide which suppliers you may want to have a further chat with.

Most important of all - enjoy yourself!

Wedding Reading - II

2010-08-26T11:00:00.002+01:00

Why Marriage? by Mari Nichols

Because to the depths of me, I long to love one person,

With all my heart, my soul, my mind, my body...
Because I need a forever friend to trust with the intimacies of me,
Who won't hold them against me,
Who loves me when I'm unlikable,
Who sees the small child in me, and
Who looks for the divine potential of me...
Because I need to cuddle in the warmth of the night
With someone who thanks God for me,
With someone I feel blessed to hold...
Because marriage means opportunity
To grow in love in friendship...
Because marriage is a discipline
To be added to a list of achievements...
Because marriages do not fail, people fail
When they enter into marriage
Expecting another to make them whole...
Because, knowing this,
I promise myself to take full responsibility
For my spiritual, mental and physical wholeness
I create me,
I take half of the responsibility for my marriage
Together we create our marriage...
Because with this understanding
The possibilities are limitless.

Real Wedding - Kathryn & Lee

2010-08-19T11:00:00.002+01:00

I was very privileged to be involved in the recent wedding of Kathryn & Lee held at All Manor of Events, just outside Ipswich.

This was a strange situation for me as I was a guest as well as wedding planner - I was even one of their witnesses!

The wedding day was glorious and Kathryn and Lee got all of their family and friends involved to make it a very personal wedding ceremony and day for them. Here are the details of their day including those personal elements:

Lee's brother and best man, Leon, played guitar for the bridal party procession down the aisle. Kathryn's chief bridesmaid and flower girl (my daughter, Darcey) entered first, followed by the other bridesmaids, who were escorted by the ushers. Kathryn then entered with her dad.
Kathryn's brother James, along with the registrar, took the ceremony and actually married them. He was fantastic - he made it really personal to them, it was a very moving ceremony. Lee’s sister, Laura read the only reading of the ceremony.
The wedding breakfast followed and then came the time for the speeches. My favourite line was from the groom, Lee talking about his new wife: “I know everyone says this but I will fight them all – I really am the happiest man alive!”
Later in the evening, the groom, best man, ushers and some friends performed a set as covers band 'Kings of Leon Smith'.

Suffice to say, it was a fabulous day that went by without a hitch. Here's a few photographs from the day:

The tables were all named after trees

The Groomsmen L-R; Stephen (Usher), Leon (Best Man), Lee (Groom), Alex (Usher)

The Bridesmaids L-R; Clair, Laura, Michelle and Darcey in front

Leon plays guitar as the bridal party walk down the aisle

Kathryn’s brother James takes the ceremony

Mr & Mrs Smith!

The main wedding cake was served as dessert and these cupcakes were given to the evening guests

The first dance

‘Kings of Leon Smith’

Kathryn and Lee had a fantastic wedding day and I wish them all the very best for their future lives together.

Congratulations Mr & Mrs Smith!

Photographer - Birks Photography

Wedding Reading - I

2010-08-12T11:00:00.001+01:00

This post starts a series of posts with suggestions for wedding readings:

Wedding by Anonymous

If you go to a wedding, here’s what it means 

No one wears trainers and no one wears jeans 
Your best new clothes are all that you wear 
And everyone in your whole family is there 
Even some cousins that you’ve never known 
And the grown-ups all say -
Oh, how much you have grown!?  

So everyone’s sitting in one big room 
(except Sally and Richard, the bride and groom) 
Then all of a sudden things quieten down 
And music starts playing and people turn round 
And really slowly, Sally walks in 
And she’s prettier now than she’s ever been.  

She’s a bride and she’s really great looking today 
(when normally she looks just kind of okay) 
She walks in and stands with her dad for a while 
As Richard her boyfriend, awaits in the aisle 
His hair is all combed and he’s wearing a tie 
And then Sally's mum starts to sniffle and cry.  

And now it comes time for the ‘get-married’ part 
The Registrar says that we’re ready to start 
So she talks and she talks about serious things 
Then their friend Chris steps up holding two rings 
He gives one to the groom and the other to the bride 
Then his girlfriend, Janaki pulls him aside.  

Then Sally and Richard kind of look at each other 
And another big sniffle comes from Sally’s mother
And Sally and Richard put on the wedding rings 
And they talk and they promise each other some things 
They promise that they’ll love each other a lot 
And help one another no matter what 
And be with each other the rest of their life 
Then the Registrar says “Now you are husband and wife”.

Then everyone’s in such a big happy mood 
And you go to a party with very much food 
Where you dance with some grown-ups and drink some wine 
And then do a conga-dance in one long line 
Till Sally and Richard drive off in a car 
and everyone’s thinking how happy they are 
So we all yell goodbye and throw handfuls of rice 
Then the whole thing is over. Weddings are nice!

Searching for 'The Dress'

2010-08-05T11:00:00.013+01:00

Part of my job involves going along with brides to search for their perfect dress – as a wedding planner, I can provide a no nonsense, impartial opinion and relate that to how the style of dress will fit with the overall theme and design of the wedding.

I thought I’d share with you the story of my search for a wedding dress:

I did what every bride to be does, as soon as I got engaged I bought loads of wedding magazines and started turning the page corners of the wedding dresses I liked. A pattern emerged and there was one particular style of dress that I continually went back to – it was similar to the picture below. A strapless corset style bodice with a very full skirt with lots of layers.

The day soon arrived and I took my mum to a dress shop to start trying on some dresses. I picked out several dresses that I liked in the shop – all very similar to the above design. I excitedly went into the fitting room with the dress designer and put on the first dress – it felt good, although the skirt did seem quite big! I went outside to show my mum and look in the mirror – my mum’s reaction was not really what I’d expected – she couldn’t stop laughing! She said I just needed a pair of wings and a wand and I could be on top of a Christmas tree – I looked in the mirror and completely agreed with her. Whilst it was a beautiful dress, the style was all wrong for me and just looked ridiculous. So now I was in a tricky situation, all the dresses I’d looked at were in this style, so now that I’d discovered this wasn’t right for me I was stuck – I didn’t know where to start! Luckily the dress designer said she would take a look around the shop and pick out a selection of dresses that she thought would suit me and my shape. I tried on several different dresses and ended up going back to the first dress that was picked out for me. I still had the fitted bodice and a full skirt but the style was much more subtle and suited my shape. Here’s a picture of me with my mum on my wedding day:

So, I guess the moral of this story is to try not to set your heart on something purely based on a picture. Go to the dress shop with an open mind and be prepared to try on some different styles. Allow the dress designer to have some input too – they fit brides in dresses every day so they really do know what they’re talking about.

Good luck with your search for ‘The Dress’, if you would like a no nonsense impartial opinion when dress shopping contact us to find out how Endless Love could hep you.

Picture credit: Ideal Wedding Dresses

Come and Meet Endless Love

2010-07-29T11:00:00.001+01:00

Endless Love will be exhibiting at two wedding fayres later this year - so get the dates in your diaries!

On Sunday 19 September we will be at the Belstead Brook Hotel at the East Anglia Weddings Fayre between 11am and 4pm.

On Sunday 10 October we will be at Wherstead Park at the Suffolk Wedding Show between 11am and 3.30pm.

Both shows have free entry.

Come and say hello and find out more about the Endless Love bridal fashion show and our wedding planning workshops.

See you there!

Love Quotation

2010-07-15T11:00:00.001+01:00

"When you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible"

From the film When Harry Met Sally

Money Saving Tips

2010-07-01T11:00:00.001+01:00

I recently wrote an article for B&G Suffolk with some tips for where you can save money on your wedding - click here to read the article.

Enjoy!

Green Wedding Tips

2010-06-17T11:00:00.000+01:00

Going 'Green' on your wedding day can save you money as well as helping to save the environment - here are my top tips for a green wedding:

Use dried flower petals instead of confetti (a lot of venues are now insisting on this)

Use seasonal flowers in your bouquets and floral decorations

Use seasonal foods, especially vegetables and use local suppliers to cur down on 'food miles'

Choose a venue that is local to you and the majority of your guests

Send your invitations via email and set-up a wedding website that guests can visit with all the information they will need about your wedding

Consider an environmentally friendly mode of transport to the wedding - a horse & carriage perhaps, an electric car, or even a tandem bicycle!

Visit our website for more information on how Endless Love can help you have a 'green' wedding.

Happy Planning!

Picture Credit: Weddzilla Blog

Love Quotation

2010-06-10T11:00:00.001+01:00

"Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry"

Author Tom Mullen

Supplier Focus - Fabulous Bags by Libellule

2010-05-27T11:00:00.001+01:00

A friend of mine, Louise has recently launched a new venture; Libellule - Handmade vintage style handbags...each one unique and stitched with love!

I visited her at her stall at Ipswich Vintage and Modern Market on the Waterfront last weekend. Here's a few pictures of her stand and her fabulous bags:

As you can see, her talents are not limited to bags, she also has a collection of beautiful handmade jewellery including necklaces and bracelets.

I think these bags would be great for bridesmaids, they are surprisingly spacious so can hold all of the essentials and still look elegant as they hang from the wrist - Louise can make them to fit in with your chosen colour scheme. The bags start from just £16.00 each.

Louise has a shop on Folksy which you can access here, or you can contact her at louise-at-libellule@hotmail.com or on 07780 663630.

A Gift For Your Groomsmen

2010-05-20T11:00:00.001+01:00

Whilst browsing the Wedding Ideas shop this week I found these fab ties for your groomsmen:

Its a great way to show your thanks for their involvement in your wedding, as the tie says: 'Thanks for helping us 'tie the knot''. The ties come in a presentation pouch and are £19.99 each.

Happy Shopping!

Love Quotation

2010-05-06T11:00:00.000+01:00

"If I could reach up and hold a star for every time you've made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand"

Author Unknown

Venue Focus - Glemham Hall

2010-04-29T11:00:00.002+01:00

A few weeks ago I met up with Louise at Glemham Hall for a look round the venue:

Glemham Hall is an elegant, red brick Elizabethan mansion surrounded by 300 acres of parkland situated between Woodbridge and Saxmundham in Suffolk off the A12. The present owner Major Philip Hope-Cobbold inherited the house from his uncle in 1994, where he now lives with his wife Raewyn.

Glemham Hall was build circa 1560 by the de Glemham family, who took their name from nearby Great (Magna) and Little (Parva) Glemham. After a varied history, the Cobbold brewing family purchased the house in 1923; it became the home of Captain John Murray Cobbold - founder and first chairman of Ipswich Town Football Club as a professional club - and his wife Lady Blanche, a daughter of the 9th Duke of Devonshire.

There are two main areas for weddings;

The Great Hall (pictured left) for wedding ceremonies and smaller, more intimate wedding breakfasts

The marquee (pictured right) for larger wedding breakfasts.

There is also a church within the grounds of Glemham Hall that can be used for wedding ceremonies and is just a short walk from the main house.

The grand hall can seat up to 100 for a wedding ceremony and 60 for a wedding breakfast. The marquee seats up to 160 for a wedding breakfast and up to 200 for the evening reception.

The venue hire costs from £3,300.

Your caterers need to be booked separately and Glemham Hall will provide you with a list of preferred suppliers.

Contact Glemham Hall on 01728 746704 or email them at events@glemhamhall.co.uk for more information.
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Apple Green Mood Board

2010-04-22T11:00:00.001+01:00

With Spring finally with us I've put together a fresh apple green mood board:

Picture credits:
Shoes - Hasel Bride
Cake - Manolo Brides
Apple Martini's - Manolo Brides
Tie - Manolo Brides
Bride & Groom - The Knot
Flowers - Get Married
Table - Soon to be Wed
Invitation - Lela New York
Dress - Cafe Mom

_

Come and Meet Endless Love

2010-04-15T11:00:00.002+01:00

Endless Love will be exhibiting at the Cake & Catwalk launch event on Friday 23 April, 7pm - 10pm at the Jerwood Dance House, Foundry Land, The Waterfront, Ipswich IP4 1DJ. Come along and find out more about our workshops and say hello. The evening will commence with a glass of something sparkly & nibbles, followed by a fashion show involving Suffolk boutiques. Finally, you will have an opportunity to partake in dance taster sessions and of course... shop! Entry is just £3.

For more information about the event you can email Lynn and Daisy at info@cakeandcatwalk.co.uk or call on 01473 295230.

_

Wedding Planning Workshops - Places are filling up fast!

2010-04-08T11:00:00.001+01:00

Sunday 9 May 2010

9.00am - 12.30pm

Ufford Park Hotel, Golf & Spa

You will go home knowing how to have a stress free wedding, how to save money, how to work with suppliers and much more. Below is an example of a mood board:

Everyone that attends the workshop will make a mood board for their wedding, a great keepsake and a great place to start thinking about your theme.

£100 per person or £150 for two
Places are limited Refreshments will be provided

"The fee for the workshop was small compared to the money we saved"
Kathryn Quinton, Wedding in July 2010

If you would like to know more about the workshops, please call me on 01473 681201 or 07906 705191. You can also contact me via my website www.endless-love.co.uk.

Love Quotation

2010-04-01T11:00:00.000+01:00

"Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry"
Author Tom Mullen

Book Review: Bride Ideas and Frock-Ups

2010-03-29T16:00:00.000+01:00

I've just finished reading Bride Ideas and Frock-Ups by Sim Canetty-Clarke, Amanda Lockhart and Susannah Frieze. It's a fabulous compilation of wedding anecdotes and quotes; some of which will have you laughing out loud.

This book is the perfect gift for any of your friends or family, whether they've been married for one year or ten, or even if they haven't yet taken their walk down the aisle. It's a great read and will give you a much deserved break from wedding planning.

Here's one of the quotes that made me laugh: "An expert photographer can make a happy couple look like film stars... it's wonderful watching the bride's father, a few years later, idly flicking through the album of photos, the tears gently rolling down his cheeks... as he remembers what the whole day cost him."
Duffer's Guide to Getting Married, 1986

Enjoy!_

Venue Report - Butley Priory

2010-03-18T11:00:00.001Z

Last month I was lucky enough to meet up with Rose from Butley Priory.

Once part of a 14th century Augustinian Monastery (dating back to 1171), it later became a much-loved retreat of Henry VIII's sister, Mary Tudor (briefly Queen of France) and her suitor, the Duke of Suffolk. The house is set within an area of outstanding natural beauty in its own 7 acres of meadow and heathland.

As regular readers of my blog will know, I love a long tree lined entrance and Butley Priory didn't disappoint!

There are three wedding options available at Butley Priory;

Ceremony only
5 hour day wedding
48 hour wedding stay

The 48 Hour Wedding Stay includes accommodation for two nights in the house for up to 9 people. Up to 50 guests can be accommodated for a ceremony and wedding breakfast and an additional 30 can join the party in the evening. Prices start from £2750 for the 48 Hour Wedding Stay.

The resident caterers Spice Outside will put together a menu tailored to your requirements. Three courses start from £31.95.

If you have more guests you can hire the house and a marquee for up to 120 people with the 48 Hour Summer Wedding option from £4250.

Contact Butley Priory on 01394 450046 or email them at info@butleypriory.co.uk for more information.

Tiffany Style Mood Board

2010-03-11T11:00:00.000Z

With Spring on the way (hopefully!) I've put together a mood board that I've wanted to do for a while now. It's in the famous Tiffany jewellers colour:

Picture credits:
Engagement Ring - Tiffany
Reception Layout - Pink Cake Box
Bridesmaids - The Knot
Invitation - Wedding Paper Divas
Cake - Elegant Cakery
Flowers in vase - Style me Pretty
Bridesmaids - LI Weddings
Bouquet - Flowers Ichie
Wedding Rings - Tiffany

Wedding Planning Workshops

2010-03-08T11:00:00.001Z

I'm very excited to announce the launch of a new service from Endless Love - wedding planning workshops. See below for more information:

To find out more about the wedding planning workshops, please contact me via my website www.endless-love.co.uk.

Come and Meet Endless Love

2010-02-25T16:00:00.000Z

Endless Love will be exhibiting at the Bella Donna Bridal Fair on Sunday 7 March 2010 at All Manor of Events, Manor Farm, Henley.

Please do come along and meet us. You will be able to find out more about the new services we are launching, including an exciting series of wedding planning workshops.

Love Quotation

2010-02-23T15:00:00.002Z

'To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage'

Lao Tzu

Wedding Tea Towel

2010-02-18T11:30:00.001Z

As regular blog readers will know, I spend a lot of time searching the internet for new and interesting ideas for weddings. This week I've found a fabulous alternative invitation idea via Bridal Soup:

The above invitation is actually a tea towel! What a brilliant idea - your guests have something they can actually use. Prices start from just £2.75 each. Take a look at the Wedding Tea Towels website for more information.

The Wedding Voucher Book

2010-02-16T15:00:00.000Z

I'm delighted to announce that the Wedding Voucher Book is now available for purchase. It is packed full of special offers from a wide range of wedding suppliers in East Anglia, including Endless Love.
The Wedding Voucher Book is available online, you can also meet the team at the EDP Wedding Fayre this weekend at the Royal Norfolk Showground. Check out the website for more information.

Tips for the Newly Engaged in Roundabout Magazine

2010-02-11T12:00:00.003Z

I recently wrote an article for newly engaged couples with all the hints and tips you need for where to start planning your wedding. The article has been featured in the February issue of Roundabout Magazine. You can read the magazine online and as well as my article, there's some great wedding photography tips from Jeremy at Hennell James Photography.

Enjoy!

Valentine's Day Mood Board

2010-02-09T15:00:00.003Z

With Valentine's Day fast approaching I thought it was a great opportunity to put together some ideas for a romantic wedding. Instead of the traditional red colour that is associated with Valentine's day, I've gone for a hot pink mood board:

Picture credits:

Cosmopolitan: www.infobarrel.com

Table decoration: www.weddingandeventlights.com.au

Shoe: www.stuartweitzman.com

Invitation: www.zazzle.com

Cake: www.cakecentral.com

Flowers: www.liweddings.com

Bridesmaids: www.theknot.com

Reception: www.wedding-hire.net

Garter: www.gartersbygingersnap.com

Love Quotation

2010-02-04T10:00:00.002Z

'You don't marry someone you can live with - you marry the person you cannot live without'

Anon

Supplier Focus - Carrie Yeo

2010-02-02T15:00:00.000Z

Take a look at this gorgeous crystal bouquet from Carrie Yeo:

The detail is amazing:

A crystal bouquet will last forever and will be a great memory of your wedding day. This bouquet is £395, check out Carrie's website for more information.

Ask me Anything!

2010-01-28T10:30:00.001Z

Today I am launching a new regular monthly feature on my blog called: Ask me Anything!

Each month I'll be answering questions from Brides and Grooms to be about planning their wedding. It can be anything from money saving tips, how to be green, how to handle a difficult relative or advice on choosing suppliers.

So to get started, I need your questions!

If there's anything you are concerned about or need some help with, send an email to me at caroline.gould@endless-love.co.uk and your question may be featured in the blog next month.

You can 'Ask me Anything!'

Supplier Focus: Two Birds Bridesmaids

2010-01-26T15:00:00.000Z

Having spent most of this weekend catching up with my ever growing pile of wedding magazines, I was delighted to stumble upon Two Birds Bridesmaids in an issue of You & Your Wedding magazine. Two Birds Bridesmaids have one dress with over 15 different ways to wear it - see below for a few examples:

The dress comes in sizes 4-26, 18 different colours and four different lengths - making it perfect to suit all of your bridesmaids no matter how different they are. Take a look at the Two Birds Bridesmaids website for more information and details of the different ways to wear.

Make time for 'you' on your wedding day

2010-01-21T09:00:00.001Z

I'm sure most of your married friends have told you that your wedding day will fly by! It's true. There's so many people to catch up with, they will all want to congratulate you - its not surprising if you find yourself thinking 'Where's my new wife/husband?' regularly throughout the day. If you are getting married and holding your reception at the same venue, its difficult to find some time alone together. However, I think its important that you make time to get away and spend a few precious moments together on your wedding day. Here are a few ideas of when you can get away:

Directly after the ceremony - ask the registrar to direct your guests to a different exit to you
Before the wedding breakfast - ask your wedding planner to ensure all of the guests are at their seats before you make a grand entrance into the room as husband and wife
Before the evening reception - take a few moments to get away and freshen up together before welcoming your evening guests
Anytime - get together in a corner of the room and just watch all your friends and family having a great time

Your wedding day is one you will remember forever - make sure you have a few special moment that you can reminisce about together.

Love Quotation

2010-01-19T15:45:00.000Z

Love doesn't make the world go round, love is what makes the ride worthwhile

Elizabeth Browning

Fabulous Button Bouquets by RBK Creations

2010-01-14T09:30:00.000Z

Whilst browsing the BrideTide website this week I stumbled upon some fantastic bouquets made from buttons - here's an example:

These fantastic bouquets are by RBK Creations - you can view their shop on etsy by clicking here. They have created lots of button bouquets which you can buy on their site from as little as $20USD. I think its a great idea for a different, quirky bouquet - and it will last forever!

Book Review: Preston Bailey's Inspirations

2010-01-12T16:00:00.000Z

I've been a big fan of Preston Bailey for a while now. He's a top wedding planner based in New York and has an amazing flair for turning a seemingly ordinary venue into an absolute masterpiece. His book 'Inspirations' is filled with venue transformations that will blow you away, and the photography (by John Labbe) is fabulous.

If you are planning your wedding and need some inspiration I'd thoroughly recommend this book. Preston has recently launched another book 'Celebrations' - I can't wait to get a copy!

Happy Reading.

Alison Russell - Silhouette Portraits

2010-01-07T11:55:00.003Z

Are you looking for something a bit different to wow your guests on your wedding day? How about hiring a silhouette artist?

Alison Russell is a Silhouette Artist based in London and has cut silhouettes of many celebrities and performed at many prestigious venues and events.

Check out Alison's new website for more information: www.alison-russell.co.uk

Top tips on where to start wedding planning

2010-01-05T15:00:00.003Z

Tell People - you can put a formal announcement in the press if you wish, but most people ring around family and friends to tell them their exciting news.

Set a realistic budget - you may have some money put aside for your special day, now is the time to think about how much you feel is reasonable to spend on all the elements of your wedding. It may also be worth setting up a dedicated wedding bank account to start saving.

Draft a Guest List - it will be difficult to book a venue (and ultimately set a date) if you don't know how many people are going to be there. Some venues will only be licenced up to a certain number and you don't want to cram all of your guests in. Likewise, you wouldn't want your 80 guests to be lost in a room big enough for 300.

Must Haves - any newly engaged couple will have ideas of what they want to happen on their wedding day. Now is the time to talk to your partner and agree on a few 'must haves' that are important to you both for your wedding and will take priority. It may be that your cake is a certain flavour, the bride's mum does the flowers, or you go somewhere really special for your honeymoon...

Visit my blog weekly for lots of planning tips, advice, inspiration and supplier features.

If this all seems too much, you can hire a Wedding Planner to guide you through the entire planning process - see our website for more information on how Endless Love can help you have a stress free wedding day and planning experience.

Happy Planning!

Photo Credit: Tiffany & Co.

Christmas Opening Hours

2009-12-20T23:06:00.003Z

The Endless Love offices will be closing on Thursday 24 December and will re-open on Monday 4 January 2010.

Wishing you all the best for the festive season.

Caroline.

Christmas Floristry Workshop

2009-12-20T23:00:00.006Z

I recently attended a floristry workshop at my sister-in-law's new venture; Half Penny House in Needham Market, Suffolk - website coming soon.

During the workshop we learned how to put together a Christmas table centre piece. I was really surprised by how much work and how much time it took to put together the arrangement. It really helped me to understand the work put in by florists and how much time it actually takes to create a beautiful arrangement. I thought i was finished, and then continued to work on my centre piece for another hour!

Here's a picture of the finished product - what do you think?

Half Penny House sells all kinds of wonderful things for the home and runs numerous workshops from sewing to painting!

If you would like to know more, please contact Nicola Gouldsmith on 07887 511081.

Book Review: Diary of a Mad Bride by Laura Wolf

2009-12-17T11:21:00.003Z

I've just finished re-reading 'Diary of a Mad Bride' by Laura Wolf. I read it the first time when I was planning my own wedding in 2005. It's a light hearted view of the wedding planning process and will have you laughing out loud.

If you're looking for some light relief from planning your wedding - I'd thoroughly recommend it.

Enjoy!

Love Quotation

2009-12-17T11:20:00.001Z

'There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved'

George Sands

Photographer Supplier Focus - BDi Creations

2009-12-10T10:27:00.004Z

This month I met up with Garry and Mel from BDi Creations at their studio in Stowmarket. Garry has been a photographer for over 20 years and is well established in the wedding industry. Their style of photography is very relaxed and informal. There will always be two photographers present on the wedding day to ensure no special moment is missed. They will be with you from getting ready, right through to your first dance to capture all the memorable moments of your special day. There are lots of examples on their website www.bdicreations.com, including one of my favourites:

They include an engagement shoot in their package whereby the bride and groom to be can go along to the studio and enjoy a relaxing photo shoot and be treated like a celeb! They will even throw in a makeover for the bride to be. This is a great opportunity to get used to being in front of the camera and to get to know your photographers.

Wedding packages are around £1,500 and can be tailored to meet your requirements. Contact Garry or Mel on 01449 770311 or 07816 925326 to discuss. You can also email them at bdicreations@hotmail.co.uk.

Ideas for your table plan

2009-12-03T11:00:00.000Z

Are you struggling to decide where everyone should be seated at your wedding? Why not try something different? Here are some ideas:

Table Name Cards - the most formal. Name cards would be places at each place setting telling guests exactly where they should sit.
Escort Cards - very popular in the US. Guests would pick up their name card at the entrance and it would have a table number on the reverse. You decide which table everyone sits at and they decide where on that table they will sit.
Free For All - very relaxed. There is no table plan and guests can sit wherever they like.

It's your day - have the wedding that you want!

Christmas Mood Board

2009-11-26T11:03:00.003Z

Christmas is fast approaching so I thought I'd put together a Christmas mood board to get you in the festive mood...

I love the Christmas bauble place card holder, might even use that for my Christmas Day table!

Money Saving Tip

2009-11-19T09:49:00.001Z

Shop in the sales! December and January are great times to do some shopping for your wedding. Fairy lights can be found at bargain prices just after Christmas, as can decorative candles, vases and other table decorations.

Happy Shopping!

Venue Focus - Woodhall Manor

2009-11-12T12:10:00.006Z

I was lucky enough to meet up with Faye from Woodhall Manor last month. Woodhall Manor is a beautiful wedding venue just outside Woodbridge, Suffolk.

The Manor House is privately owned and dates back to 1566. Nestling in nine acres of landscaped grounds and beautiful walled gardens, Woodhall has recently been lovingly restored with exquisite attention to detail. The house retains all the atmosphere and charm of a sixteenth century building, whilst the 12 en-suite bedrooms have all been individually decorated to a truly exceptional standard with every modern convenience.

There are three main areas for weddings:

The Manor House
The Walled Garden
The Banqueting Suite & Long Bar

The Manor House is used for smaller weddings of up to 40 guests and is licenced for your ceremony.

The Walled Garden can seat up to 250 for an outdoor wedding ceremony, or if you would prefer an indoor ceremony, the ceremony room in the Banqueting Suite can accomodate 120 people.

The Banqueting Suite can seat up to 120 guests for your Wedding Breakfast and the Long Bar holds up to 250 for the Evening Reception with built in stage, lighting and sound system for your Band or DJ.

All catering is in house and a 3 course meal starts from £35.00 per person.

You will have exclusive use of the venue for your wedding and all events are tailored specifically to your requirements.

To find out more about Woodhall Manor please visit their website www.woodhallmanor.co.uk or give them a call on 01394 411288.

Love Quotation

2009-11-12T11:35:00.001Z

'A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person'

Germaine Greer

Endless Love – featured service

2009-10-22T13:34:00.003+01:00

This post will feature our On the day co-ordination service:

Everything is booked and the planning is complete. You want to day to flow effortlessly. We can take the stress out of your wedding and co-ordinate the whole day. All you have to do is enjoy yourselves.
We will:

Meet with you two weeks prior to your wedding to discuss the full details
Devise a timed plan of the day
Provide unlimited email and telephone support to the wedding party
Work with your chosen suppliers to ensure your day goes to plan
Provide etiquette advice where required
Experienced Wedding Planner present on the day for up to 9 hours to co-ordinate all activities

On the day co-ordination costs just £350 - a small price to pay for a completely stress free wedding day. Contact us for more details by calling Caroline on 01473 681201 or 07906 705191.

Top tips for your top table

2009-10-22T13:30:00.001+01:00

Why not break the tradition of a formal top table? Here are a few alternatives:

Sweetheart table – just a small table for two, the bride and groom
Bridal party table – long top table but with no parents, just the bride, groom, bridesmaids, best man and ushers.
Centre table – instead of being at the front of the room, have a round top table in the centre of the room with all your guests around you.

It’s your day – have the wedding that you want!