Unfortunately not everyone is the Duchess of Cambridge and with our vows we won’t be marrying a future King. But your day can be just as memorable, beautifully breathtaking and all eyes will be on you! A regal atmosphere is easily recreated in Skibo Castle in Dornoch, Scotland, which seems to offer everything. From landscaped gardens, parklands and the Dornoch Firth to naturally dramatic scenery, this venue exudes tranquility and luxury. Every inch of this location is picture perfect for a Princess wedding.

Continuing along this theme, Eltham Palace built in the 1930s is one of the finest examples of art deco in Britain. The stunning architecture instantly creates an impressive and striking atmosphere before the wedding has even taken place!

Castles and palaces are not the only locations in the countryside. Country manors and barns are a fabulous way to spend your day combining magnificent landscapes with a more low-key event, in particular Dodford Manor. Nestled in the rolling hills of the Midlands, Dodford Manor offers a range of barns built from the 1860s. An intimate gathering in a friendly environment suggests a more relaxed wedding but this doesn’t mean that charm and grace have been forgotten. Elegance and style heighten the magical feel of the rustic barns and the beautiful countryside creates a unique and isolating mood.

Surrounded by conifers and pines, The Rhinefield House Hotel, set in The New Forest, is the essence of luxury. Built in the 1800’s yet recently refurbished this venue seems to combine both historical grandeur with a modern twist.  The serenity of the countryside is sure to dismiss any wedding nerves and jitters. There is something for everyone; gardens for children to exhaust themselves after devouring the wedding cake to romantic midnight strolls and exquisite interiors with traditional fireplaces where you can happily spend the entire night discussing the delights of the day.

Having concentrated on the countryside, can the same same magical qualities be recreated in the city? Will London compare to the idealistic setting of the countryside and castles? The Dorchester Hotel, Mayfair, is perhaps one of the most elegant hotels in London. Offering a range of different sized banqueting rooms, there is something to suit everyone’s taste, from a small personal gathering to a more traditional, larger wedding, The Dorchester certainly has the answer! Bursting at the seams with grandeur and charm, it is a truly overwhelming setting.

A traditional wedding might not be everyone’s preference but alternatives do exist, such as The Absolut Icebar in London. Saying ‘I do’ in sub-zero temperatures surrounded by fantastic ice sculptures is certainly a novel idea! The Natural History Museum could also be the perfect location for an usual wedding. Having added dinosaurs and ancient historical artefacts to the guestlist, this venue is genuinely distinctive and not easily forgotten!

There are many options available and although the thought of where to wed is a daunting decision, it is one which should be accompanied with feelings of excitement and exhilaration, not horror and hysteria.

However, things are beginning to change. Our new modern man who wears moisturiser, sometimes even challenges you to the bathroom mirror before a night out wants to be involved. In fact, he wants to be involved so much, that it might be fair to say it is becoming HIS day. It begins with his input for choosing a venue. Initially excited that your man wants to help plan your special day together, making him even more perfect, emotions can quickly change from sweet to sour, from happy to hostile to hysterical horror that nothing is matching up to your idealised day! After compromising on the date and venue – well it probably won’t be sunny in July anyway – when did your future husband suddenly become so interested in table decorations? Regardless of price, if he can’t see the point in scattering rose petals on the tables or having the chairs dressed in silk cloth with pretty bows, then I regret to inform you but this is one argument you will not win and your chairs and tables will end up naked! Your groomzilla, is now in charge and completely raining on your parade, or better still, your wedding day!

So the question is; how much is a healthy involvement in the planning process and when does it become too much? As long as he doesn’t become too controlling, most women would embrace the help of their partner in the decision making process. But, it is HER day, designed and executed to her every last desired detail so the place names WILL be engraved on the wine glasses and NOT written on a piece of card. If the reign of groomzilla is allowed to continue, where will it end? Will it now become the custom for the bride to make a speech thanking everyone for coming and appreciating how handsome her husband looks? Raising awareness for this condition is essential. Ground rules need to be formulated and groomzilla locked down inside the pub and drinking beer before he demands to walk down the aisle in a beautiful dress!

Tell us a bit about yourself, how did you get into wedding stationery and dessert bars? I am a naturally creative person, so having designed and planned my own fabulous wedding back in 2005, I fell in love with the wedding industry – the fru fru, the colours, the love and most importantly the opportunity it gave me to be creative.  So me being me, I left my desk at an investment bank and set up my own wedding planning company – but I realised that I didn’t much like the planning side of weddings as it wasn’t creative enough for me.  So I thought about what I loved doing and it was the design side I loved being involved in, thus… Leonie Gordon Event Design was born which later evolved into Leonie Gordon London.  The dessert bar side of my business also evolved …I have a fetish for collecting vases and vessels, as such over the years I found myself with a beautiful collection, teaming that with my love for all things chocolate, sweet or dessert based – LGL Candy Buffets arrived!

What inspires your creations? I am inspired by anything and everything – patterns, nature, architecture – but mainly I am inspired by my clients as each client is unique and has their own story to tell, I love to uncover it and find out how I can bring this into the core of their design.

What ingredients make a perfect wedding? I think the ingredients for a perfect wedding are…

• A genuine love between the Bride & Groom, when a wedding is about love and not the “show” – it really shines through and the day feels magical.
• Personalising the details – I think a Guest should leave a wedding privy to knowing a little bit more about the Bride & Groom
• Thinking about your Guests – I believe a Guest should always leave a wedding feeling like a Guest of Honour and not an after thought.

What’s your favourite wedding to date? That’s easy – my own! I loved everything about being a Bride and everything about my day!

Trends for 2012 weddings? More and more of my Brides are requesting the Pocketfold/Wallet Invitation Suite which effortlessly carries the Invitation, Information Card and Reply Card… Also amidst all the Neon trends that are hot this year, a lot of my Brides are opting for the classic, Black on White/Ivory colour schemes.

Your ideal wedding, name the venue, styling, catering, dress, honeymoon destination etc. Assuming the word budget is not in my wedding day vocabulary my ideal wedding would look like this; the backdrop would be a fabulous Manor House set in the British Countryside with lush grounds. The styling would have to be by my favourite designer Mr Preston Bailey, with a Turquoise, Gold and Ivory {with a splash of Blush Pink} colour scheme full of chandeliers, candles, peonies, roses and hydrangeas.  The dress would be a puffy, princess style, heavily but elegantly encrusted with lots of sparkle – maybe an Ian Stuart or Monique Lhullier couture gown.  Catering would be a sophisticated themed menu based around Chocolate and our Honeymoon would be 6 lovely, long weeks in a Sea Hut in the oceans of the Caribbean.

Please visit Leonie Gordon London, to find our more about their wedding stationery service and gorgeous dessert tables…yum!

1. How many weddings will you be taking on that day?

Its important to know how much attention and priority your wedding will take in your supplier’s schedule. Granted a larger company is possibly able to handle more than one catering event but there may be certain areas such as the wedding venue you would like to ensure you are the only bride their full attention is on for that day.

2. Insurance, portfolio, references

Depending on their field it may be important for the supplier to have necessary insurance and certification. Food hygiene (relates to catering) and electrical equipment (so DJ to Audio Visual) are key areas you really do not want to compromise on. So don’t just flip through the portfolio, ask for references, pick a wedding from their portfolio of your choice and ask not just to speak to the couple but other suppliers they worked with during the event. Suppliers can sometimes be a good way to get a reference on other suppliers because they will work with them or come in contact with them through their network in some way quite regularly.

3. Payment schedule

How much deposit is required? Often this can be upto 50% of the full fee or cost for the service provider. Have a schedule in place thats also agreed in writing.

4. Backup plan

If you have hired a planner or photographer for example what happens if for some valid reason they are unable to show up and thats the planner you had been working with or photographer you really wanted who’s namesake company includes no other photographer but he/she? Its important to know you would be comfortable with any stand in’s. Deal with this upfront in the unlikely event it happens.

5. Overtime, change of mind?

What happens when there are changes however minor to what is agreed? Will you be charged extra for changing your flower centerpiece to something you just fell in love with months to go? Or overtime for your waiters if your event day runs even an hour behind schedule? Are your prices fixed or charged by the hour? Ask, ask, ask…

6. Cancellation policy

What is the cancellation policy however genuine your reason? Does it change depending on the time to the wedding day?

7. Does that include VAT?

With all prices always ask “Is that including or ex VAT?” It makes a huge difference to the total costs.

8. Supplier restrictions

With some venues there can be supplier restriction particularly on suppliers such as catering, av and production. Check out the list you are restricted to for key areas and that you like or are comfortable working with them. Some venues may even go as far as to restrict creative suppliers such as florists, negotiate and clarify these points early on.

9. Whats your dress code?

How will your supplier come dressed? Whilst slouchy and laid back with trainers may not be acceptable for a supplier in view of guests all day, all black is often quite common for suppliers to remain unobtrusive. Some suppliers such as caterers may even charge for the uniform of your choice!

10. Is this your fulltime job?

The wedding industry is common ground for a part-time weekend job on the side. Depending on what skill you have hired your supplier for this can be detrimental to the quality of service you receive. You probably want to ensure key suppliers like your caterer and wedding planner are committed professionals that do not see your wedding as a part-time hobby but understand the importance they play in your one time life affair.

11. How many events of this size and budget have you done?

If you are holding a large scale event for example, whether based on size or budget, you want to know your planner, caterer, photographer is acusstomed to working in such environments as it means they know what to expect and can still perform well under the challenges of the scenario to give you the best service.

12. Do you connect?

Ultimately you should connect with the supplier well enough to know you are confident in their professionalism and their ability to do a great job for your wedding day. Sometimes you may love a supplier and they may not score well on every single query you have…who knows you may find a gem in the making but at the end of the day, you will know where you stand and have the information to make the right choices for your special day.

Happy supplier hunting…and don’t forget to let us know if you come across any more useful questions to help other brides planning by commenting below.

So, what ingredients do you think make the perfect wedding? 

The perfect ingredient for a perfect wedding is PERSONALITY! I am a huge believer in personalizing the wedding to each and every client! I want their guests to walk in and say, “This is so them!!”

 What’s your favourite wedding planned to date?

My favorite wedding that I’ve ever planned [to date] will happen next weekend [this March]. It is the most elegant, classy, but unique wedding that I have ever seen! They have thought about every single thing from passing white russians while they are serving cake, monogrammed pencils for the mad libs on the menu, and vintage mirrored trays to go under the centerpieces!

 Do you have any favourite bridal designers?

I must say that I am pretty obsessed with Vera Wang! Her dresses are all so soft and romantic, yet so gorgeous and unique!  I am all about adding a great beaded belt to make it their own, though!

 Is there any difference between a wedding planner and a wedding coordinator?

The difference between a wedding planner and a coordinator is simply wording. A wedding planner plans for each vendor to be a part of the wedding. A wedding coordinator coordinates all of the vendors and brings them all together to execute a perfect wedding!

Any trends you think will feature for 2012 weddings?

I am hoping that the industry is leaning towards natural light and natural, soft, feminine beauty!

Your ideal wedding? What’s your style, name the venue and details…

My ideal wedding is hard to plan, simply because I love so many different styles! I often think about my own wedding (one day in the future) and what I would imagine my dream wedding to be like! I have 3 completely different styled weddings already designed! Part of me wants a gorgeous, blush dainty vintage wedding filled with golden accents! Another part of me wants a super sexy and glam wedding with stunning chandeliers! The last part of me wants to do something so different than I have ever planned and get married overlooking the most beautiful waters of Croatia (the country that my family is from)! One day, I will have to make that decision, but until then, I’ll keep dreaming about my dream wedding!

For more details on Elyse’s work, visit Tying The Knot Wedding Coordination!

This rustic chic concept works well for a destination wedding especially if you’re having your celebration on a winery estate or perhaps nestled away in a Tuscan village.  They are also very DIY friendly. Alternatively check out mooks stationery where prices start from £2.60 per label.

Photo Table Numbers

From pictures of each other in your younger days to holiday snaps, customise your table numbers through a collage of polaroids for a urban cool affair.

Stone Painted Table Numbers

These beautiful stone table numbers are the perfect compliment to an ‘art’ inspired fete. Individually paint your table numbers or names on different shapes and sizes of stones or pebbles.

 Illuminated Table Numbers Cut-Outs

These illuminated table number cut-outs will add a warm romantic glow to your wedding table decor. Created by Tuppence of Momfetti for her castle wedding in the Netherlands, they are not only DIY friendly but can be personalised by fabric styles.  Check out her DIY tutorial here.

Blackboard Table Numbers

If your wedding has a rustic or casual style, a simple alternative is to use mini-blackboards to write your table number or names and perhaps even hedge it in within your centerpieces.

Moss Table Numbers

Create a statement centerpiece of the actual table number itself! Ask your florist to decorate your centerpiece as large moss covered numbers. This idea works perfectly for an outdoor wedding or garden inspired dreamy celebration.

Hang Table Numbers From Chairs

Simply hang your table numbers from your chairs to direct your guests. This is also a great way to double up the same card as a place setting….its all in the details!

Amir presented his wife-to-be with a £100,000 platinum ring encrusted with three staggering diamonds. In return, Faryal gave her beau an equally stunning platinum ring.

The couple are due to wed later this year.

Sigh! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. For more pictures check out the Image Credits Gallery below. Next week, we’ll show you how to achieve a similar look for a London affair.

Here are a few style tips and ideas on how to sparkle.

Theatre Date

If your other half is planning on taking you to the theatre or the opera on Valentine’s Day, then why not go for this stunning Ted Baker Red Lace embroidered ball dress. Team with classic black patent Christian Louboutin pumps a chunky necklace such as this stunning bead twist choker from French Connection.

Dinner Date

Why not go for a more sophisticated look for your dinner date and wear this red Asos Pencil Dress with Pockets which will look perfect with simple nude heels such as these Asos Poppet Platform Leather court shoes and a simple gold clutch bag like this Anya Hindmarch box clutch.

Dinner At Home

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and this is the perfect opportunity to show your man your cooking skills! For dinner at home you still want to look fabulous, after all this is a special occasion, so why not try this relaxed Whistles Corinna Shift dress with a relaxed up-do and this French Connection Gold Stretch bracelet.