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Grooms – keeping the big day on track

Date: April 16, 2012  Author: Chelle Leave a comment

When I talk to Brides in pre-wedding interviews, I see some women who seem to be overwhelmed with the responsibility of all of the details it takes to have a memorable wedding. So let’s not forget that it’s not just “her” wedding; it’s your wedding too! Whether she admits it or not she’ll need your assistance!

So. . . listen carefully.

You need to take an active interest in your wedding. Pitch in. Find out what you can do to help and don’t let your sweetheart bear all the responsibility. Put her on a pedestal. Let her be the centre of attention. She deserves it. Never let her hear you say, “It doesn’t matter to me. Do whatever you want.” Your Bride will never fully understand why the wedding isn’t as big a deal to you as it is to her. Don’t bother trying to explain. This is the day to be her Prince Charming!

royal agricultural college 02 Grooms keeping the big day on track

Roll up your sleeves and get busy. Wedding overload can be a real problem. Divide up jobs in advance – preferably, according to which parts you’re most interested in, and then agree to run everything past each other before final decisions are made. Make it a joint venture. Attend the meetings with the minister, disc jockey, photographer, etc., as a team. You are in this together, so act like it.

Don’t wait until the week before your wedding to figure out what you’re going to wear. Short notice doesn’t work. Your formal wear should be purchased or reserved about 3 months before the wedding. Make sure you have decided beforehand if you will rent or purchase a suit and also find out which style will suit you best.

Send a detailed e-mail to your Groomsmen filling them in on the relevant details about the formal wear. Let them know when and where (include a map) to get fitted for their outfits. Remind them that they have to be returned the day after the wedding to avoid annoying late fees. Keep your sweetheart in the e-mail loop to let her know that you’ve got everything under control.

Be a buffer. If your mother is calling your fiancé every hour to talk about the wedding, you run the risk of major family conflict with you stuck in the middle. Your mission is to keep the peace. Call your mother and let her know that while you appreciate her interest, input and excitement, it’s your wedding and she needs to give you two some space.

Be romantic. You can do it. Leave a love note in her room on the morning of the wedding. Wake her up to her favourite song. Romantic surprises make the big day memorable. Be her personal chauffeur for a day of wedding errands.

(P.S. Never stop being romantic. She will love you for it.)

Pay attention to the details. Spit-shine your shoes. Make sure there is enough petrol in the car. Several days before the wedding, get a haircut. Preparation is the key. Be ready for anything. No wedding is perfect. Today is the most stressful day of the Bride’s life. Roll with the punches and do what you can to keep your pretty lady from being stressed. Leave nothing to chance. Minimize the stress factor when the final countdown begins. Plan to do nothing the day of your wedding but get up, relax, have a light snack, and then head to the venue to tie the knot.

The Best Man is a reflection of your judgment, your background and your character. Decide who is going to be your best man quickly, tell him what is expected and make sure he can honour his commitment. Make sure that you tell anyone who might be offended by your choice before word gets round.

Whatever you do, do not have your stag the night before the wedding. Better yet, skip this rite of passage and earn a few extra points with your Bride. If you must have a stag night, have it the weekend before the wedding and behave yourself.

You will be expected to say a few brief words at the reception. Keep them short and to the point. Say how happy you are to be marrying the “girl of your dreams,” say a few “thank yous” and sit down. It doesn’t have to be long and flowery.

Practice. Remember, practice does not make you perfect, it makes you better.

At the end of the evening, tradition is for the bride to throw her bouquet to the single women at the reception. A lovely touch might be to surprise her with another bouquet as your new wife in the honeymoon suite.

Next . . . and finally . . . live happily ever after!

Colour Trends for 2012

Date: January 10, 2012  Author: Chelle Leave a comment

One of the very first wedding planning decisions is that of your colour theme. Without it you won’t know where to start with bridesmaid dresses, flowers, invitations and entire Reception look.

According to wedding magazine UK Wedding Belles here are the 12 hot choices for 2012.
sage1 Colour Trends for 2012

1. Sage Green

Also grouped in with Olive or Khaki Green. This colour adds a touch of finesse to a wedding colour scheme. An easily sourced colour that is classy enough to last the test of wedding album time. A brown or beige or ivory accent a must have with this colour combination.

opg1 Colour Trends for 2012

 

2. Orange Pink and Green

This may seem an odd mixture when you first read these colours, and although it is a bold statement, when these colours are combined right they create a striking impact on any wedding reception.

 

babyblue Colour Trends for 2012

 

3.Baby Blue and silver

The dainty colour of baby blue is a light and refreshing pastel colour perfect for a spring or summer wedding, and when teamed together with silver the whole look will have that extra shine and dazzle.

 

4.Yellowyellow1 Colour Trends for 2012

Yellow continues to wow as a popular wedding colour. Nature gives a helping hand by  supplying so many british flowers as that colour so they won’t be hard to source. 2012 will see yellow being mixed with orange or blue.

 

blkwhite1 Colour Trends for 2012

 

5.Black and White

Delightfully sophisticated, the black and white wedding theme is easy to achieve whilst giving dramatic results. Add some extra bling with silver accents if you wish to complete the spectacular look.

 

burgundy1 Colour Trends for 20126. Burgundy

Previously out of favour to the brighter colour of Red,Burgundyis back with a vengance, and why not? It’s timeless, classic and refined. It is a colour that works well on its own or indeed a dark purple.

 

hotpink1 Colour Trends for 2012

 

7. Hot Pink

The colour that just keeps growing in popularity. There is no denying that Hot Pink brings the wow factor to any wedding. Often teamed with Black or indeed other bold colours, this shade is still going to be big in 2012.

 

neutral1 Colour Trends for 20128. Neutral tones

Due to certain celebrity weddings of 2011. Neutral tones are set to be big in 2012. Beiges, Ivory, the palest of pinks and peaches are all set to be a big hit with anyone planning a romantic or vintage feel to their wedding day.

 

tiff1 Colour Trends for 2012

 

9. Tiffany Blue

This particular shade of blue is still hot to trot in 2012. Cornfield Blue and Duck Egg Blue which are similar in shade are also set to be a top tip too.

 

 

white1 Colour Trends for 201210. White

Pure, crisp, cool. The white wedding scheme is going to be big news for 2012. Some will be having literally everything in white, while others will be adding some deep gem colours into the mix, but not so much that it distracts from the purity of the main look.
.purple1 Colour Trends for 2012
11. Purple

Dramatic and Vibrant. Purple can arrive in two specific shades, Red Purple, and Blue Purple. The Purple wedding theme continues to grow. Mix the different shades of Purple right or even add in some pink as your accent colour for a truly stunning wedding look.

 

lightpink Colour Trends for 2012

12. Pale Pink and Silver

Pinks will always be a classic wedding colour. The charm of the pale pink look is dreamy and romantic and when accented with silver it will look charming yet stunning.

 

 

For more ideas for each of these colour themes click on the link below and the click on each of the colour schemes.

http://www.ukweddingbelles.com/weddingmagazine/themes/254-wedding-colour-schemes-2012

Key Questions – The Wedding Dress

Date: November 25, 2011  Author: Chelle Leave a comment

Once the date and venue have been set the next thing that springs into a brides mind is a mega shopping trip to find that all important wedding dress. It is the one day in a girls life when she will want to outshine even the brightest star and why shouldn’t she, after all she is about to marry her Prince Charming.

Following the start of our Key Questions series with The Venue, I have compiled a series of fairly comprehensive list of questions to ask your local wedding boutique and although some may seem obvious it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially when spending a lot of money on such an important item.

Is an appointment essential?

Will there be a fee to try on dresses? (Apparently there are some who charge for the privilege of trying on their dresses!!)

Is there a limit to how long the appointment can last?

How many people can come with you?

How much time should I allow for my dress to be made?

What is the cost of alterations?

Should I bring anything with me?

How many fittings will I have?

When do payments have to be made for the dress?

Do you offer a delivery service?

Please note this list is not comprehensive is meant as a guide for when you are visiting wedding boutiques.

Mixed Summer Wedding Flowers

Date: October 30, 2011  Author: Chelle Leave a comment

Choosing your flowers by their season is a wonderful way to theme your day. Be inspired by the seasonal countryside for your Mixed Summer Wedding Flowers and find a sensational choice of colours, scents and styles. By choosing flowers that are in season you can create a truly timeless and connected feel for your celebration with flowers that evoke the romance of the season.

Many flowers are now imported so are available all year round but if you’d like to include seasonal blooms in your wedding flowers you may like to consider our choice for summer weddings.

A beautiful bouquet with the air of flowers just picked from a country garden. A delightful mix of fragrant old fashioned roses, foliage and herbs would be perfect for an informal country style wedding. Scented garden roses, Cosmos, Hydrangea, Peonies, Scented pinks, Lavender and Scented Geranium have been combined with a fragrant array of foliage and herbs including Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Sages, Thyme, Cotton Lavender, Jasmine and Honeysuckle – flowers that fill your senses with their unique look, texture and exquisite scent.

A mix of English roses, Sweet peas, Hydrangeas, Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Astrantia and the delicate lime green Alchemilla mollis create an abundant display with a country garden feel – perfect for an outdoor reception or a wedding with an informal country garden theme.

Other flowers and foliage to choose from include: Beech, Calla Lily, Continus, Cornflowers, Dahlias, Delphinium, Eucalyptus, Foxgloves, Gladioli, Ivy, Lilies, Marigolds, Pheasant Bush, Phlox, Rosemary, Rubus Trails, Sages, Scabious, Senecio, Snapdragons, Sunflowers and  Sweet William.

wedding flowers sept 2011 Mixed Summer Wedding Flowers

Wedding Planners – are they worth it?

Date: October 29, 2011  Author: Chelle Leave a comment

It is well documented that a wedding takes a great deal of planning, and whilst the end result is often a beautiful and memorable day for the bride and groom, the planning process can be incredibly stressful. Hiring a professional wedding planner eases that stress and can sometimes saves a little money too, due to the knowledge the planner has access to. Its important you find a wedding planner who you feel you can connect with, and you feel will understand what you want from your wedding day.

Here are my Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Wedding Planner

10. Sounding Board – Wedding planners are a huge creative resource. They listen to your vision and dreams for your wedding and bring their creativity to the process to help your vision come alive.

9. Big Picture – When you pick a venue they often give you a “wedding coordinator” from the venue to help coordinate the day. This person is NOT the same as an independent planner. He or she is the venue’s catering manager and their job is to make sure that everything having to do with the facilities runs smoothly. While they are helpful, they do not cover the scope of what an independent planner does. A wedding planner will be there for you when you can’t see the woods for the trees and although it isn’t their wedding many are passionate about their work so can take a step back and think rationally about all aspects of it.

8. Budgeting – Wedding planners have been in the industry for some time. They know what things should cost and the difference in value. They can help you navigate the often confusing waters of wedding industry price tags and balance your budget around YOUR priorities.

7. Enjoyable Process – I’ve observed so many brides planning their wedding and often by the time the wedding comes around, the process has been so stressful that they just can’t wait for it to be over. Planning your wedding is supposed to be an enjoyable process and sadly many brides lose sight of this as their minds are in overload trying to ensure the day runs smoothly. A good wedding planner will allow you to have your wedding – they won’t take over, only offer advice, whilst allowing the bride to retain as much or as little control as she likes. Remember your wedding planner is there to help you enjoy the journey and she will have your best interests at heart.

6. Mediator – A good planner serves as a buffer in tricky relational situations. It’s a known fact that it’s impossible to make everyone happy when planning a wedding, especially keeping both Mum’s happy. A planner is a safe neutral person to point to for direction. It’s easier to tell your future mother-in-law, “My planner thinks we need to…” instead of “I think we should…”

5. Time-line – Your wedding day will involve numerous vendors who need to work together to insure that the day goes smoothly. A planner understands how each vendor relies on the others and serves as the team captain who coordinates the complexities of the timeline with all its moving parts.

4. Knowledge Base – This is likely your first time planning a wedding. Planners have been in the industry for years and are experts in protocol, etiquette and everything it takes to pull off an event of such magnitude. They are a HUGE and readily accessible resource for education.

3. Background – In addition to possessing a wealth of knowledge, planners have been in the industry long enough to know who the players are — which vendors can be trusted and who has the best business practices. A referral from someone who has roots in the industry is GOLD when you have to place such a high level of trust in those you previously had no knowledge of.

2. Save £ – Most planners can actually help their clients save enough money on their wedding through negotiations and pre-agreed discounts which helps to off-set the cost of the wedding planner – do you need any other reason icon smile Wedding Planners are they worth it?

And the #1 reason to hire a wedding planner is… (Drum roll, please!)

1. Stress – The difference in the stress level of a bride who has a professional planner and one who doesn’t is palpable. When it comes to the day of your wedding, the most important thing is that you are able to relax and enjoy it. You are the bride. You don’t want to end up being the point person for issues and questions that will inevitably arise. Hiring a planner frees you and everyone you love to live in the moment on your wedding day.

One last thing: hindsight always plays a part with thoughts of Wedding Planners – virtually every single bride I have ever spoken to who hasn’t had one, wishes in hindsight that they had!

Whilst a good organiser may not be cheap they can definitely be worth the cost, after all you pay a good photographer over £1,000 to be there for the whole day so why not pay that little extra for someone who will be there for you for the whole process.

Swindon Wedding Planner – Love to Plan

Choosing the right Wedding Photographer

Date: October 25, 2011  Author: Chelle Leave a comment

Choosing the right wedding photographer for your wedding

At the last count there were approximately 70 wedding photographers in the Swindon area alone. So it is no wonder that choosing one for your wedding is a daunting task.

The majority are very good but there are also some that are “not so good” and there are those where you get exactly what you pay for!

 So how do you make sure that you have found the right one for you?

Here are my top tips for finding a great Swindon Wedding Photographer:

  1. Do your research! – Look on the internet, go to wedding fayres and find a wedding photographer whose style suits the type of photography you like. Some photographers will claim to be able to shoot all styles (Reportage, Formal, Documentary, etc.) just to get your booking.  At JMW Imaging we tend to shoot an eclectic mix with John shooting the more formal images added to Michelle’s documentary style, this unusual style works for us and our clients love it.
  2. Once you have trawled the internet and wedding fayres select a few wedding photographers who you think satisfy your criteria and arrange to meet them Face to Face. Their images may be wonderful but you might not hit it off and if you don’t get on you then there is a possibility that you may not get the images you want.
  3. Ask the photographer if you can see a full wedding; they may not be allowed to post the full wedding on line, but when you visit them they should quite happily show you a fully edited wedding for a previous client.
  4. Is the photographer insured? With all the meticulous planning that goes with a wedding it is possible for things to go wrong.  Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance helps to protect both you and the Photographer in the event of a mishap.
  5. Is the photographer qualified? Recently there has been a spate of articles in the national press about poor wedding photography. If a photographer is serious about his craft and the work he produces he is likely to be qualified or accredited to one or more of the professional organisations. This does not mean that a photographer who is not qualified nor accredited to a professional organisation is not any good, but you should have additional peace of mind with the ones that are.

For the record John is a qualified member of the SWPP & The Guild of Professional Photographers; Michelle is qualified with the SWPP & The Royal Photographic Society.

These are just a few pointers to help you find the right Wedding Photographer for you. If you’d like more information about JMW Imaging please contact us.

Key Questions – The Venue

Date: October 13, 2011  Author: Chelle Leave a comment

How many times have you gone to look at something or arranged to talk to someone about an important occasion; come away with a whole list of unanswered questions floating about in your head and then had to spend a further half hour on the phone getting them answered?

I think we all have at some point in our lives.

I have compiled a series of fairly comprehensive list of questions to ask your suppliers and although some may seem obvious it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially on such an important day.

One of the first decisions to make is deciding where to hold the ceremony and/or reception so I will start this series of Key Questions with The Venue:

Is your favourite venue available on your chosen date? If not are you willing to consider changing your date to suit the venues availability?

How many people will it accommodate?

Can the venue carry out civil ceremonies? If not is it reasonably close to your ceremony venue?

Is there more than one package?

Does the price suit your budget?

Does the venue offer catering? If so, are you happy with the menus?

Will you have exclusive use of the venue?

Can you move furniture around?

Do they allow candles / fireworks?

Are you able to have a marquee?

Is there room and facilities for a live band?

Do they have a licensed bar?

Is there the option for a late bar?

If you bring your own wine, i.e. for the wedding breakfast, will there be a corkage fee?

Are there any additional costs not included in the quote for example VAT, or a service charge?

Please note this list is not comprehensive is meant as a guide for when you are visiting potential venues.

Summer Wedding Bouquet – July

Date: August 22, 2011  Author: Chelle Leave a comment

Whenever you think of love you automatically associate the word with hearts and roses. These versatile flowers are probably the best known and loved flower in the world.

Roses are available all year round, they come in an amazing variety of beautiful shapes and stunning colours and what’s more some of them have an incredible fragrance – adding that extra special something to the atmosphere at your wedding.

The sheer romance, variety and beauty of the rose are good reasons to choose this bloom. They also have the ability to lend themselves to every style of wedding from romantic country garden to effortless sophisticated city chic.

The fragrance from the roses is the icing on the cake!

wedding flowers july 2011 Summer Wedding Bouquet July

All roses symbolize Love, but their colours have special meaning. Roses can impart either a formal or a casual atmosphere, depending on the varieties and colours you choose. Incorporate roses and rose petals into every loving step of your wedding. Use the list below to choose the shade that best matches the feeling you want to convey.

Red – Love, passion, respect and courage

Yellow – Joy, friendship and freedom

Pink – Happiness, gratitude, appreciation and admiration

Cream – Thoughtfulness, charm and graciousness

Orange – Admiration, fascination, enthusiasm and desire

White – innocence, purity, secrecy, reverence and to honour those who are deceased

So if you haven’t already chosen your wedding flowers then the rose could be the perfect option for you.

Although roses are available all year round via import it’s worth remembering 2 important factors:

1. Home grown ones will be cheaper when in season

2. Prices are likely to increase at certain times of the year due to specific events such as Valentines Day and Mothering Sunday.

 

Next month I will take a look at some mixed seasonal summer bouquets.

Themed Weddings

Date: August 22, 2011  Author: Chelle Leave a comment

One of the smartest things you can do when you have decided to get married is to pick a style or a theme for your wedding.

Choosing to work with a theme will guide you in your decisions and selections and help you to co-ordinate dresses, flowers, stationery, wedding favours, food and menu choices, decorations, as well as finding the perfect location for your ceremony and reception, along with so many other critical details.

Once you have a vision of what you want your wedding to “look like”, you can then begin focusing on exactly what you’ll need to buy and/or make, plus have a better understanding of what vendor arrangements will need to be made. This will save you both time and money in the long run.

Many couples know that they want a particular kind of wedding, but don’t know where to start, or how to incorporate that theme into their wedding. Take a look at the themes below to see if any of them feel like the right sort of wedding for you, then use them as a launching pad for your own ideas – your theme is limited by your imagination (and your budget to a degree).

It must be said that a themed wedding is not for everyone and many brides-to-be are not keen on the idea and equate it with tackiness but if you want to give your big day an air of fun, drama or personality, a well-chosen theme makes for a memorable wedding day. The key is to remember that a theme can be as elaborate or as subtle as you like. Whether you want to go all-out with an Arabian Nights twist, or simply want to stick to a certain colour scheme, a theme can provide an ideal focus as you plan your wedding.

Even choosing your flowers by their season is a wonderful way to theme your day. Be inspired by the seasonal countryside for your wedding flowers and find a sensational choice of colours, scents and styles. By choosing flowers that are in season you can create a truly timeless and connected feel for your celebration with flowers that evoke the romance of the season – it’s simple, stylish and effective.

Here are some suggestions for couples who fancy something a little different. And if none of them grabs you, getting an idea of what you don’t want can be a useful exercise in itself.

Top wedding themes – suggestions

Medieval wedding. Scroll-style invitations, a sumptuous banquet and a castle-shaped cake – this theme has the makings of a wedding to remember! Costumes should not be too difficult to come by if you want your guests to look the part.

Winter wonderland wedding. Twinkling fairy lights, a velvet-cloaked bride, and white blooms tied with silver ribbon – a winter wedding can have a drama and appeal all of its own without looking like a Christmas Card.

Seaside-themed wedding. The sea holds a unique fascination for many people. Shells, sand and pebbles can all be used to good effect in table centres and other decorations, while sticks of personalised seaside rock make fantastic favours!

1920s-themed wedding. An Art Deco-style venue, a jazz band, flapper dresses and cocktails can help to recreate the fun-loving spirit of the 1920s.

1940s-themed wedding. Big-band entertainment, a vintage satin gown and aChampagne fountain are just some of the ingredients of a wedding inspired by the 1940s.

Arabian Nights wedding. Think belly dancers, jewel-coloured fabric draped across the walls and ceiling, platters of Middle Eastern food, and chocolate-coin favours. What fun!

Japanese-themed wedding. A red-and-black colour scheme, bonsai trees as centrepieces, and sushi or noodles on the menu are just a few of the ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Las Vegas-themed wedding. A mobile casino, an Elvis impersonator, elaborate cocktails and glitzy lighting will set the scene for an over-the-top wedding that gets everyone all shook up.

Butterfly-themed wedding. More subtle than hearts or flowers but just as romantic, butterflies are a popular and stylish wedding motif. From invitations to favours, and decorations to place cards, you should have no trouble sourcing products to fit in with this pretty wedding theme.

Football-themed wedding. Football stadiums are increasingly popular as wedding venues but if this is a bit out of your league you can still create a footie-themed occasion to remember. Use your team’s colours for your décor, name your tables after favourite players, and have the bride throw a football instead of her bouquet! This theme can also be applied to other sports such as rugby, cricket and golf.

A themed wedding inspired by your venue: Already chosen your venue? The building and grounds could be the perfect source of theme ideas for your big day. A country house is perfect for a traditional white-themed wedding, while an Art Deco-style building is crying out for an elegant 1920s theme.

Ask your venue staff about wedding themes that have been used there before; they may even have photos of the venue dressed in different ways to give you ideas.

Wedding lighting: One of the best ways to create atmosphere at a themed wedding reception – or any other type of reception – is through lighting. Hiring a lighting designer might sound like a drastic – and expensive – step, but it could be the best money you spend. If your venue looks less than glamorous to start with, clever lighting can seriously play down its bad points while highlighting the positives. Getting a quote from some professional lighting designers doesn’t cost anything, and they might have fantastic ideas on making the most of your theme.

Planning your wedding décor: If you’re decorating your own venue for a themed wedding, you’ll need plenty of help and plenty of materials. Why not try using a prop-hire company? They specialise in film and theatre props that you can rent to add a touch of drama to your reception.

The floor and ceiling are both important considerations when decorating your venue. Fabric swags or white fairy lights are good ways of disguising an ugly ceiling, while a hideous carpet can be hidden with some rented flooring – choose from interlocking panels of parquet, or a stylish black-and-white checked effect, depending on your theme and preference. No one need know about the lurid swirly pattern underneath!

Next month I will take a look at mood boards to help create that special theme.

Wedding Ceremony Options

Date: August 22, 2011  Author: Chelle Leave a comment

In August we will be introducing a new section to our website called Wedding Snippets. In this section I will be posting about anything and everything related to weddings that you may find handy when planning your big day; the subjects will range from the wedding venues in and around the Swindon area to florists, cake makers and bridal gowns mixed in with some snippets about who does what, how to choose your vendors and how NOT to turn into a bridezilla!! All this will be accompanied by a bit of advice from the photographers point of view – after all JMW Imaging are Wedding Photographers based inSwindon.

So this week I’ll be posting a small sample of things to come – I hope you enjoy them and look forward to receiving your comments.

michelle Wedding Ceremony Options

We kick off today with a brief outline of a small number of different wedding ceremony options available in the UK, I know I have omitted a number of religions but this is purely because I know very little about them and would not like to provide the wrong information but if anyone would like to email me at snippets@jmwimaging.co.uk I will gladly post the details.

With so many different types of wedding ceremonies out there to choose from, it’s difficult to know exactly how they differ and what is involved in each. We’ve concentrated on the most popular ceremonies and have given a brief insight into steps that should be taken beforehand.

religious ceremonies Wedding Ceremony Options

Church of England

There is growing flexibility regarding couples wanting a religious ceremony for their wedding. The Church of England currently gives all British citizens, with no former partner still living, the right to get married in the parish church of the town where they are resident or in the church where either of the couple are on the church’s electoral roll (this isn’t the same as the local register of electors). For those looking to get married outside of their parish, this is usually possible provided there is some kind of family connection (you worship there regularly, your parents had their wedding ceremony there, your family have a history with the church etc).

The first step is to contact the minister to book the date. The wedding will be announced at the church on three consecutive Sunday’s giving people the opportunity to voice any legal objections. It’s also important you give notice of your intention to marry to the local superintendent registrar who will be able to provide you with your marriage license.

Church of Scotland

The Church of Scotland allows you to hold your ceremony in any place at any time provided you have permission from your minister. Unlike the Church of England, banns are not published and there are no residency requirements, although notice has to be given to a registrar no later than 15 days before the wedding date. Fortunately you don’t have to be a resident ofScotlandto get married there!

Roman Catholic

Roman Catholic marriages have slightly stricter rules than that of the above. Catholics are encouraged to marry other Catholics in order to attain what is often referred to as a ‘perfect union’, but inter-faith marriages are much more common occurrences these days. Both be free to marry, and one of you must have been baptised Catholic to wed in a Catholic Church. It is not uncommon for your priest may ask you to undertake some sort of marriage preparation with him and you are normally expected to attend Mass at the church for at least six weeks prior to the wedding. You will also need to give notice of your intention to marry to the local superintendent registrar and obtain your marriage license.

Jewish

Jewish weddings fulfil both a religious and civil purpose, but you will need two applications, one for your local registrar office and one for the religious authority under which the ceremony will take place, these should be obtained three months prior to the wedding. Jewish weddings are usually conducted in a synagogue but can also be held in many venues with the relevant license. The wedding can place on any day of week apart from the Sabbath (sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday).

With increased competition from various wedding venues across the country many of the churches are now more accommodating than they used to be and the costs may surprise you too.

civil ceremony Wedding Ceremony Options

Registry Office

It is essential that notice of your wish to marry is given, in person, to your superintendent registrar at your local council office or town hall. After answering a few questions you will be issued with a certificate of common notice. A provisional booking with the register office can be made to secure the date you want. Weddings can be booked no less than 17 days and no more than 12 months in advance.

Licensed Venues

The joy of a civil ceremony is that it can take place in any venue that has been approved for the purpose and so holds the necessary license. Many hotels, country mansions and other more unusual venues have marriage licenses, providing you with the perfect opportunity of holding your ceremony and reception in the same place. It is still essential you give notice of your intention to marry to the superintendent registrar and you will need to contact your local register office to organize a registrar to conduct the ceremony.

getting married abroad Wedding Ceremony Options

Weddings Overseas

Marrying abroad had become more and more popular with couples, embracing the chance to combine the wedding with the honeymoon. Overseas weddings are recognized in theUKas long as they do not contraveneUKlaws governing your eligibility to get married, e.g. you are not underage or you are not waiting for a divorce to come through. Contact the country’s embassy or consulate directly for advice and to find out which documents you will need to provide and when. Many countries require you stay for a minimum period (usually of between one and seven days) before you are free to marry. If you want to avoid having to face some of the organizing involved in getting married abroad then perhaps consider a civil ceremony in theUKfollowed by a blessing abroad.

Useful links:

SwindonRegistry Office

Swindon Churches

Getting Married Abroad

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