Is a castle a wedding locale only for the lord or lady of the manor? No way.

Castle weddings albeit favorite of the crème de la crème of Hollywood, the nouveau riche and sports greats and the crème de la crème of Hollywood, the nouveau riche and those couples where money was not an object, are surprising affordable.  They are not exclusively for this moneyed bunch. 

Have you ever dreamed of having a wedding in France, the most romantic country in the world?

The attraction of destination weddings is that only your nearest and dearest friends and family are invited.  Forget the second cousin you have not seen for 15 years and your Mum’s bridge partners and work colleagues and your Dad’s golfing buddies.  Destination weddings are normally arranged for an average of thirty guests.The larger the families of the destination wedding bride and groom the more guests are invited. 

If you’re in love with the idea of a large wedding with all your friends and family, skip the idea of a castle wedding unless you are the likes of Eva Longoria or loaded.  Her wedding cost between 2 and 3 million. 

Destination weddings are a fresh new way to start a new life together.  Destination weddings are usually more intimate than traditional weddings and offer you and your guests the chance to visit an exotic destination that can act as a wedding and a honeymoon all in one.

Destination weddings are intimate affairs with just a few people around to witness the exchange of wedding rings ? It’s the most romantic way to get hitched, and it’s also lots of fun for your guests.

Because the number of guests at a destination wedding are much lower and the largest percentage of wedding budget is normally spent on the wedding venue and catering and alcohol, destination weddings even in a fairytale french chateau can work out cheaper than an alternative historic venue at home, or the Disneyland castle or Las Vegas Excalibur hotel.  

So if you want to be a princess bride go for the real McCoy – an authentic castle.  You will get that castle feel that only a genuine castle can pull off. 

These days you can rent a chateau for your wedding party exclusively for one night to a week in order to hold your wedding reception.  This way you can be the only bride on the day. {Nothing removes the fairytale princess feeling quicker than seeing another bride at the same venue also having a fairytale princess moment.}

There are a whole list of castle wedding venues available offering a few rooms for your guests up to castle hotels with hundreds. 

There are family run chateaux that offer there luxury properties to guests specifically for weddings. These chateaux are more specialised than your typical vacation chateau because they need to have the infrastructure for up to thirty guests and appropriately sized reception rooms with all of the tables, chairs, cutlery, crochery and linen available.

Some go so far as to offer very attractive castle wedding packages. A castle wedding package is not as expensive as you would think.   Do not think that a fairytale wedding is only a possibility for the rich. Some chateau hotels even do weddings for a party of four (the bride and groom and their respective witnesses).If you dreamt of marrying your prince charming in a fairytale wedding castle as a little girl, your dream can come true.

When chosing a castle wedding package, accessibility, price and what is included in a package will all factor in your decision. 

· Accessibility – the venue and chapel or wedding location should be near the reception area.

· Package – some venues offer attractive wedding packages with discounts because of the group booking. You want flowers, decoraton, music, food and alcohol, transportation and wedding planning included as a minimum

· Price – a french castle wedding package is still typically much cheaper than a big wedding at a historic venue in England or America.  You can usually hire a french castle for a week compared to what you would pay to hire a Scottish castle.You pay a lot to be able to drive up from London.

A castle wedding package really is an affordable option for pretty much every couple.

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Traditionally all champagne only comes from the Champagne Region of France. If it does not say France somewhere on the label, it falls into the category of sparkling wine and is simply and unquestionnably not considered true champagne.  French champagne at a french wedding is essential

France is the land of wedding chateaux.

France is a country that has an amazing affinity for its land.    French people know the different “terroirs” – the country, its micro-climate and its produce and especially its wine.They have an incredible appreciation for the effect of soil, and sun on different plots of land at a cross-intersection where one produces bottles worth 5 euros and another worth 20 and the best worth over 150 euros.

Some fine well-known champagne from France include Veuve Clicquot or Moet & Chandon. Available in mini and full sized bottles, the smaller bottles are perfect for that one-time toast or for serving guests in a garden party reception.  We have been able to buy Veuve Clicquot simply off the shelf one bottle at a time for 23 euros a bottle last year (part of the Intermarche empire) 4 minutes away is cheaper than lots of wine merchants who promise your good prices.

As one would expect, the cost of the tried and true French Champagnes are exorbitant. Savings can be found both online and by buying from case lots.  

For serving champagne there are two styles of glasses to choose from. The wide rimmed round glasses with shorter stems of yester-years, perfect for a vintage themed reception, or the more modern elongated flute, which provides an elegant air.

Some venues will have both styles of glasses to choose from, while others will require you to seek an outside rental agency to provide them. You may even wish to purchase champagne flutes as a wedding favor to help guests remember what could be possibly their first taste of real champagne.

A tried and true decorative feature that incorporates champagne is the creation of a champagne fountain out of tiered glasses. They can be arranged on a turntable or stationary, with or without lights, and serve anywhere from eight to sixty glasses at a time.   If you can instruct yor caterers and your photographer that you want one.

If you are opting for a champagne pyramid you need the short champagne glasses as the tall flutes make your tower too high and are the wrong proportion. 

You could ask your caterers if they will do a display of sabering champagne.This can only be done outside for obvious health and safety reasons.It is a beautiful celebratory touch for champagne for the bride and groom.  You need to be very careful.  The saberer needs to wear gloves, long sleeves and glasses.  The champagne should be very cold.   Sabering champagne bottles of course should never be done intoxicated.The top of the champagne bottle needs to be collected so that no person, or animal cuts themselves on it.  Also the bottle itself once sabered is incredibly sharp an easy for people to cut themselves on.  Be careful please.  Nothing ruins a wedding like blood. 

For a truly stylish wedding, nothing flows better than true Champagne.  If you budget just simply will not stretch that far go for Champagne Methodoise – Vouvray from the Loire Valley is a sparkling Chenin Blanc champagne style alternative. 

Cava is also a reasonably priced alternative.

Champagne at the head table at your french wedding chateau is worth the cost.  It is your wedding in France and you should splash out on yourselves.

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Chocolate Themed wedding

If you’re planning a wedding, especially in the winter months, why not decorate your wedding reception with a chocolate theme?

If you are having a french wedding you will have a fabulous choice of amazing chocolate desserts by expereienced chocolatiers. The french love chocolate. 

The great thing about a chocolate wedding theme is that it encompasses colour and taste and smell. 

Chocolate fountains are all the rage at weddings.  The fountain provides you with a variety of memorable benefits.  Before you get all excited about your chocolate theme and chocolate fountain check that your wedding venue allows them.  Because of health and safety considerations lots of venues have not prohibited them.  You can have one at our french wedding castle venue.

A variety of foods can be dipped into it to instantly augment your favorite fruits, cakes, snacks and whatever else you would like.   The fountain causes your event to have a mellow but lovely sweet aroma that will entice you and your guests to use and admire it. Then wedding favors with chocolates came next and eventually paved the path for modern wedding cakes to be designed and baked in new ways.   If you are having a french wedding you can select a croquembouche filled with chocolate custard as one of your chocolate deserts.

Chocolate is synonymous with romance.

The whole wedding can be chocolate-inspired. Chocolate-themed weddings will be fun and delectably inspiring without tainting the solemnity of your wedding vows.

Things to consider are: 

• The wedding clothes that you, your spouse-to-be and entourage will be wearing. This includes the color that should follow the chocolate theme. You can choose from a lot of chocolate shades and you even have an option to have a chocolate theme mixed with cream, mint or strawberry.  The hot color scheme seems to be blue and chocolate. Some called it Tiffany Blue, others teal and even more referred to robin’s egg blue. Any way you cut it, the trend is definitely in.

We often browse the web for ideas, and the color scheme of chocolate and blue has hit mainstream.

Award winning bridalwear designer Ian Stuart has created a rather unique chocolate wedding dress to celebrate Chocolate week 2008  along with chocolatiers Rococo.

Ian Stuart, the winner of Best Bridal designer 2004-2007 created an amazing looking wedding dress is made of white chocolate, and described as “cute, burlesque, contemporary, fashionable and 1950’s” – We describe it as “Tasty looking, with potential to melt, leaving a semi naked bride on a hot summer’s day”.  Now that is one way to make a statement on your wedding day.

Ian Stuart describes his latest tasty creation, “I believe I have created a wedding dress design in conjunction with the best chocolatiers in London. “

“It is so nice to make something that is a challenge, and furthermore, who knows? We may start a new trend!! ….as the credit crunch looms over us, maybe edible wedding dresses are the future!” says Ian.

• The design and color of flowers for your bouquet and decorations in the wedding venue and reception. Find a flower shop that has chocolate coloured flowers such as , chocolate cosmos, dahlia-chocolate sundae, dahlia karma chocolate, penumbra, Sherry Baby (Chocolate Orchid), black barlows and others.

• It is easy to incorporate chocolate into all of your menu. You can consider foie gras with dark chocoalate, duck with chocolate sauce, chocolate-dusted scallops with vanilla butter sauce, chicken mole (chicken recipe with chocolate sauce), seared pork tenderloin with cocoa spice rub, and grilled New York strip with chocolate merlot sauce, among many others.

• A chocolate fountain will definitely be a hit for your chocolate-themed wedding. Choose a chocolate fountain caterer using real chocolate preferrably chocolate with more than 70% cocoa solids.   Often you can also have attendants that will watch over the fountain and help guests to get the most out of it, and they will also do any necessary cleaning that is involved.

• Chocolate Coloured Decorations – You could use chocolate satin fabric to drape windows, stages, round tables and chairs.  Chocolate and tiffany blue is very popular right now.

• One of the last things to consider can be the wedding accessories, decor, and favors. Make sure that the design, color, and overall outcome of these items will follow your chocolate theme.

Favors are easier to plan about because there are a lot of chocolate-inspired wedding favors to choose from. These include chocolate bars decorated with wedding themes such as those available from Hersheys line of chocolate wedding favors.

Chocolate wedding favors are a great option. They can be eaten or saved as desired, and almost everyone is at least marginally fond of chocolate. Almost everyone can appreciate fine chocolate treats and those who do not usually have a reason, such as a food allergy, that the couple will be aware of and able to substitute something else for those individuals.

Chocolate wedding cakes make great desserts that you can either serve on their own or with fresh fruit and cream. You can choose a chocolate cake, which is decorated in fondant for a traditional feel, or for chocoholics, have it decorated with a choice of milk, white or dark chocolate. Chocolate wedding favors have been used by traditional weddings to thank and appreciate guest’s support. This idea started with upper class people, who are wealthy enough to have elegant gifts to give for their guests.

Chocolate has always been associated with love, and what better way to celebrate one of the most memorable days of your life than with chocolate, the food of love. 

A french wedding is a great opportunity to showcase a chocolate wedding theme.

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Everythings been booked for the big day: the castle hotel accommodation for all the guests and the reception, the cake, matching bridesmaid’s dresses, everything seems to be running fine.

Then one of these 5 things happen:

• The bride or groom doesnt show up. Ouch, very humiliating, afew hundred people coming out only to see you sobbing at the footsteps of the church. My sincere apoligies if this has happened to yourself. Sometimes its a case of cold feet, sudden realisation or blind panic that makes them decide to make a run for it.
• The ‘tv moment shock revelation’ in the middle of the vows. Some people just cant ‘forever hold thier peace’, and decide now is the time to tell not only the bride and groom, but their entire families to. Anything from a past act of infidelity being made known to the bride and groom actually being twins seperated at birth -if you have to tell them something, do it in advance and save them the embarassment.
• The rings cant be found. This happens alot more than you think it does, such a small yet important item going missing in the rush to get everything done, only to get upto the alter and the rings are not there -time to worry. These are the items that will symbolise these two people being together ‘for better or for worse’.
• Unwanted guests turning up to the wedding. The jilted ex, whose goal is to ruin the big day by any means necessary or declare their love for one of the intended party, the work collegue who never got their invite and makes it known at every oppotunity. These wildcards can strike at any moment -putting a dampener on the big day. Have them stopped before they can make their move.
• Hundreds of the smaller matters to attend to. On the big day, tiny events can be blown out of proportion but dont tell the bride, she wont be seeing it in the same light. The food can be wrong, the dj can not turn up, the limo runs out of gas- any number of hundred different things can happen. Try to take the events as they come and dont blow them out of proportion.

Looking for that castle hotel still? Rowton castle would not be a bad place to start looking.

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In the current economic climate, no one needs to waste money or pay unnecessary markups and fees to middlemen. Now, you can shop for a wide variety of thoughtful wedding gifts without leaving your seat. You will not only find the perfect thing, but save money too.  It’s never too soon to start looking for unique and special gifts for that June bride. 

For example, you can find fine gifts as diverse as a Wedgewood Signet Platimum Gravyboat or a sterling silver forever heart locket to hold a photograph of the couple in love. If you are the maid of honor or the mother of the bride or groom, you can find the perfect wedding party dresses to wear on this important occassion without spending a fortune. Pick out something in Poly Satin and Chiffon from Scala or look for selections from Alfred Angelo or Cassandra Stone.

Whatever your taste, you can find something you’ll love through the wonders of the internet and your own good sense. If you need wedding party favors or supplies, you’ll also find what you need via your computer. Check out the monogrammed chocolates or the shimmery pearl beaded earings, if you need something beautiful and interesting. For a special touch, give the bride and groom personalized mint tins commemorating their wedding date.

If you are the bride, you can shop online, too. If you want to remind the guests at the bridal shower of the lovely time they had, give them a personalized mint tin with the bride’s name and date. Another great idea is to match the favors you give your guests to the location or theme of your wedding. You can find items perfect for a beach setting or that special day in Las Vegas. For the environmentally concerned bride, consider packaging that is recycled and items made from renewable materials.

By buying your wedding needs online you can have beauty and also save money. And remember how much that new bride and groom might appreciate it if you give them a little cash based on the money you saved through your smart shopping.

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