Venue Menu: Location Temptation Temptation!

The North West is home to some seriously amazing and ultra inspiring wedding venues, a category for every taste, budget and theme:
contemporary, exclusive, luxury, boutique, historical, grand heritage, museums, art galleries, barns, castles, hotels, members clubs, racecourses, football, cricket and sporting grounds.

Each week, I'll be giving you a sneak preview into our Venue Menu: Location Temptation, to whet your appetite to the hottest wedding venues around!  I'm here to answer ANY questions you may have, (Love and the City) and of course, visit any potential princess palaces should you require it!

Part 1: CONTEMPORARY

A space to create. Events to inspire...

The Contemporary Urban Centre is a striking, world-class, events & conferencing venue. Set within a renovated Grade II-listed Victorian warehouse and boasting many of its original features, charm and character, it’s a truly unique space.
Renowned for showcasing cutting-edge arts & culture, the Contemporary Urban Centre has a reputation for leading the way.

Unique. Unequalled.Incomparable.

The Mezzanine Bar

An awe-inspiring venue across two tiers, linked by a beautiful spiral staircase. Stained glass features, a vintage crystal chandelier, intricate wood panelling, and boasting spectacular views of the Liverpool waterfront, this incredible space fuses old and new to incredible effect.
An awe-inspiring split level space linked by an impressive spiral staircase. The interior design is stunning, using reclaimed panelling from a stately home and church.
Serviced by an impressive bar, it’s a perfect venue for weddings, exclusive parties and drink receptions.

The Malaysian Bar & Restaurant

Venues of character and distinction, the Malaysian bar and restaurant is ideal for drink receptions, private parties and banqueting.

An ornate Malaysian theme runs throughout the space, creating a striking contrast to the recovered industrial machinery sitting beneath its beamed roof.

Both venues offer incredible views of the city adding further to a wonderful ambience.

For more information visit

http://www.contemporaryurbancentre.org/hire/weddings.php

Ethical Wedding Supplier Pledge

Showing We Care.

For more information, click on the below

http://english-wedding.com/ethical-wedding-supplier-pledge

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Lovely Feedback!

Just had to share this posting from a bridal forum! The fabulous Alison of Plans and Presents www.plansandpresents.vpweb.co.uk came across it and shared my blog with the lovely (not to mention stylish!) B2B. I'm SO excited the B2B is excited!!!!


RE: Wedding Ideas - current issue 88 - Pronovias 2009 dress???

HELP!

I bought the current issue of Wedding Ideas magazine (issue 88) and have seen the most beautiful dress! it's on page 120-125. However they haven't printed the name of the dress, only that it is an ivory tulle gown from Pronovias.
They have also printed that the real life wedding couple 'Helen and John' (whose dress it was) were married in August 2009 so the dress is no longer on the Pronovias website as far as i can see...

I have emailed Wedding Ideas mag but they haven't got back to me.

You can see the dress here then looking at page 6-10

http://www.sneakpreview.weddingideas...mag/index.html

Can anyone help at all?? I absolutely love it..

2nd Reply
Thank you soooooooo much. I can't tell you how brilliant you've been in finding it for me :-) I love the dress and the blog is great!

Thank you again!! xx

Hollywood Dreams Designer Day at Liverpool Bridal Gallery

Designer days are your opportunity to view the current collections of some of the bridal world's highly regarded designers. At some of the events, the designer will attend the stockist's location along with a selection of designs to help you create the bridal gown of your dreams. You can select elements from your favourite designs to produce your perfect dress.

HOLLYWOOD DREAMS DESIGNER DAY Saturday 23rd October 2010 at the Liverpool Bridal Gallery.
Discounts available for all orders placed on the day. Call 0151 428 3998 for an appointment, only a few left!

What Hollywood Dreams say...
"Our collections of beautiful, handcrafted bridal gowns are made to the highest standards in an array of luxurious fabrics. Sumptuous satins, flowing organza's and Taffeta silks, adorned with stunning embroidery and embellished with the finest quality ornate beading.

We understand you may have your own ideas as to what makes your dream wedding gown. We will adapt one of our styles to produce a truly individual creation

There is a wide choice of fabrics in an array of colours that are interchangeable within each design, giving true flexibility. Our trained stockists are also able to offer you a made to measure service if required.

Enjoy making your Hollywood Dreams come true!"

Liverpool Bridal Gallery
49 Allerton Road, Wollton Village, Liverpool, L25 7RE
T 0151 729 0800
E enquiries@liverpoolbridalgallery.com

http://www.facebook.com/BridalGallery

Grooms, Get the Savile Row Treatment Closer to Home

‘Bespoke’ is a word quite often bandied about in the wedding industry; bespoke gowns, bespoke cakes, bespoke poems. In fact, the term "bespoke" is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for a suit was said to "be spoken for" by individual customers. It’s an important word as it's a commitment to personalise your wedding day to you. A vow, if you like. The bride’s dress fits like a glove, the cake is to your taste, the entertainment to your personalities, the first dance represents your true love, de-der de-der de-der....
So what about the Groom?
There are quality boutiques out there offering exclusive and diverse collections for hire, but a made to measure suit will allow the groom to shine (almost) as much as his beloved!

Bespoken Dreams got suited and booted with Martyn of Roodduke, a bespoke tailoring company in Yorkshire.

Style and SubstanceWe are a contemporary tailoring company dedicated to providing our customers with the opportunity to look their absolute best and providing them with the highest levels of service and quality.

At Roodduke we take a fresh, highly original approach to made to measure yet maintain the supreme quality that is synonymous with traditional UK men's tailoring. When you are looking for the finest tailored garments, where better than the home of some of the world’s finest fabric producers? Situated amidst Yorkshire’s world renowned woollen mills we take inspiration from the areas’ rich heritage then add a contemporary twist.
The formidable heritage of Yorkshires woollen mills attracts the finest tailors from around the globe, and the enviable history of made to measure and bespoke suits in Yorkshire makes it the ideal location for us.

PhilosophyWhen buying a bespoke suit, you expect the highest standards and our aim is to deliver them. A perfectly fitted suit, expertly tailored, designed by you in a limited edition of one. Every man has a perfect suit; here is where to get it.
We pride ourselves on our relaxed but professional approach, our levels of customer service and attention to detail.

Stylish SurroundingsRelax in our private showroom with a coffee, beer or a glass of wine while looking for inspiration in our range of up to date style magazines.
We appreciate that our customers have busy lives and therefore we offer a visiting service covering most of the UK, regularly visiting the North West and can visit you at your home or work at a time to suit you.
We do not put a time limit on achieving what each customer desires and therefore your personal appointments will be for as long as you require.

Fabrics
We offer many of the finest most luxurious fabrics from the world’s leading manufacturers such as Scabal, Dormeuil, Dugdale Bros and Holland and Sherry, names synonymous with the showrooms of Savile Row, largely woven in British mills only a few miles from our York showroom. This means we have fabrics suitable for all seasons and climates and for every occasion, from wedding suits to formal evening wear and business suits to something for a day at the races.

ProcessDuring your initial appointment, we will discuss all your requirements in order to choose the most appropriate fabric for you. From there you will browse through our fabric collection to choose your colour, style or pattern. You will design your garment in terms of, single or double breasted, number of buttons, button stance, pocket type, lapel type, lapel width, side or centre vents etc.
At this point we take your measurements, which will be cut into a pattern unique to you. 5-6 weeks later your suit will be ready for your fitting, and at this point we will decide if any adjustments are necessary. If required, a further fitting will follow approx 1-2 weeks later. Once this is done, your suit will be ready.

Whether our grooms are looking for something simple, classic and timeless or something more outlandish, wearing a perfectly tailored suit that reflects your personal style, made from one of the finest fabrics available will give you the ultimate confidence on your special day.

Please contact us to book an appointment or discuss your requirements.

Roodduke Ltd.
The Garth
Little Skipwith
York
YO8 5SQ

T: 01757282597
M: 07912675337
info@roodduke.com
www.roodduke.com

Get Stationery Savvy with Cards by Sophie

I'm delighted to introduce Sophie of Cards by Sophie - our Wonderful Wedding Day Wednesday Industry Expert. Sophie's designs are absolutely beautiful, and so clearly made with love...
Bespoken Dreams got Stationery Savvy with Sophie, so get ready to Seal with a

Kiss!

"Hi everyone! I thought I'd give you a few tips on choosing your wedding stationery, the various items you can choose and how to coordinate it with your big day. Your stationery can, in fact, set the scene for your wedding. It is an exciting way of giving your guests an idea of what your day will be like and it’s often the first glimpse they will get into the wedding!

The first items to consider are save the date cards. These are usually sent as soon as you know your wedding date, at least 9 - 12+ months in advance of your wedding. They don’t necessarily have to match in with your theme – you may not have one at this point, but it can give you some ideas on what you’d like to go for with the rest of your stationery too. We offer postcard style and folded A7 cards to select from and we’re experimenting with magnetic save the dates at the moment. It’s a good idea to send these out particularly if the wedding is at a busy holiday time or mid-week. Some couples skip save the dates altogether and move straight onto the next step… invitations.

Invitations are the first key step to setting the tone and choosing them may help you decide on your flowers and other accessories, or vice-versa! Think about the sort of clothes you love, your ideal décor, and the place where you are getting married. This will help you decide whether you’re going for something traditional, vintage or modern. Which colours are you going for? Many of my clients choose ribbon colours on the stationery to match the bridesmaids’ dresses and send me a swatch of fabric so I can create the design in the right colours. All of our designs can be altered to match the wedding theme and colours, be it the ribbon, Swarovski crystals or handmade paper. We encourage our couples to choose their preferred wording or create their own for that special touch.

We recommend sending out invitations at least 2 months prior to the wedding. You'll also need to allow enough time for your stationer to make the items (we ask for around 3-4 weeks after approval of a proof). Consider having Pocketfolds or Cheque books; they contain not only the invitation but an RSVP and information card for details of hotels, directions etc. inside – we love making life simple! If you provide your guests with RSVP’s it often means they will reply a lot quicker and not forget to reply altogether. It’s always difficult chasing up those last few replies. Information cards are a flat piece of printed card, they can include anything you like, directions, hotel details or a map, or possibly a little poem for your guests.

Other items of stationery we term ‘on the day’, this is anything to be used on the day itself such as order of service, menus, place cards, table plans, favour boxes and much more. These items can be ordered much nearer the wedding day (usually around 8 weeks, earlier if you can!). They can also coordinate with the rest of the stationery, in fact it looks fantastic if you can match everything throughout. Of course, we are happy to help couples who just wish to order on the day items too. This doesn’t have to cost the earth, a few menus on the tables and place cards for all the guests sets the reception scene really well. Our table plans are very popular too, they are made on a boxed white canvas and again take your design and colour theme. Certainly less hassle for you and they look very smart!

You could also consider thank you cards to send out after the wedding to thank your guests for attending and for any gifts they may have bought. Most of the time my clients buy these at the same time as the rest of the stationery, it means you can have them ready with you before the wedding has even taken place. For those of you that are really organised, you can even start addressing them up or writing a message inside before the wedding itself, a strange concept I know!

We offer various different designs through our website, and we are about to launch a new printed range so keep a look out! We welcome bespoke orders too, so if there is something you’ve found or a particular item that has become your inspiration for your wedding, let us know. We love a challenge!

If you need any further information or have a stationery related question, please contact me through the website or email me at sophie@cardsbysophie.com"

Sophie x


http://www.cardsbysophie.com/
www.twitter.com/cardsbysophie and www.facebook.com/cardsbysophie

Wedding Ideas Magazine Issue 88 November 2010

Speechless! So I'll let the pictures speak a thousand words and convey a milion emotions.... Photography by Zoe Richards of www.zoephotography.co.uk

One Fashionista in a Guy-Candy Store! Dress for Success Roadshow

Back in August, I blogged about 'Fashionistas in a Candy Store', the exclusive A/W'10 sneak preview evening held at the Liverpool Malmaison, hosted by none other than the delectable my-wardrobe.com and Grazia magazine.
Last Wednesday evening, I was lucky enough to experience Mal Life again, this time with my.wardrobe.com and Esquire magazine's Dress for Success roadshow. Yep, MW were back on the road to showcase their A/W'10 hottest trends to the fashion savvy men of Liver-cool. And boy, was I one Fashionista in a Guy-Candy Store! Working four keys trends, the male models were as delicious and cool as the Moscow Mules, (enough to knock your on-trend-on-show-coloured-stripey-socks off. Ankle flashing is so now).

What we drank: Moscow Mule cocktails and Moretti beer
What we ate: mini burgers, finger fish and chips, goats cheese and red onion marmalade tarts
Goody bag: A £50 my-wardrobe gift card, £5 Niven & Joshua gift voucher, lavender e shave cream, Myla black sheer briefs and November issue of Esquire magazine.

Male guests were spoilt to 'lifestyle stations’ offering advice on grooming from experts Niven & Joshua, 'shopping for your partner' from leading luxury lingerie specialists Myla, choosing wine for every occasion from Malmaison Someliers and style and shopping advice from my-wardrobe.com and Esquire’s Fashion expert team.

With my-grooms in mind, my-favourite pick of the evening was the elegant glamour that referenced the modern bohemian gentleman; PS Paul Smith's black taped edge velvet dinner blazer teamed with a black spot bow tie and a black spot print silk dress scarf. This look screamed 'Daniel Craig', a worthwhile investment to rock both weddings and day-to-night alike. Simply dashing.

The preppy colleigate look showcased Our Legacy's navy angora and cashmere mix single breasted blazer with a two button front fastening (just DON'T button up the second one)! Dark denim and brogues completed the neat, well balanced look.

Lots of inspiration for Mr. Dreams Christmas box, from the weekend casual double breasted layered cardigans to the contemporary 3.1 Philip Lim grey cuff trousers.

We had the absolute pleasure to chat with my-wardrobe's PR director, the lovely Lauren, Niven & Joshua's marketing supremo (Niven & Joshua offer a selective collection of the highest quality skin care products and accessories from experts around the world) and Myla's lovely representative Krishma, who's beautiful array of luxurious lingerie was simply breathtaking. Lust List alert.

The highlight of the night HAD to be the exciting draw for one lucky guest to win a £250 gift voucher from my-wardrobe, a £50 gift voucher for Niven & Joshua, and an underwear set of own choice from Myla. The extremely generous girls and boys of my-wardrobe and Esquire certainly made MY-night! Thank you once again. Mwah.

www.nivenandjoshua.co.uk

www.myla.com

www.my-wardrobe.com

www.esquire.com

“Cinderella, You Shall Go to the Mal!”

The Liverpool Malmaison – Weddings and Civil Ceremonies

In-House Wedding Fayre Sunday 10th October 2010 12pm – 4pm

So Cinderella, (you), has now found her fella, (Prince Charming). What next?!

Liverpool Malmaison is hosting a series of in-house wedding fayres to promote the stylish Mal Life to the impending Man and Wife (or wife and wife. Or man and man). With its elegant surroundings, the über trendy Mal has rooms to suit the most intimate or lavish affair.

The next in-house fayre is Sunday 10th October from 12-4pm. With two glasses of complimentary fizz, an abundance of inspiring suppliers and a complimentary wedding night suite to those who book with Mal on Sunday, why not get Mal Motivated this Sunday and let Mal help grant you some wedding wishes….


RSVP to dgarrigan@malmaison.com

For more information contact

Events Manager
T 0151 229 5000
E events.liverpool@malmaison.com

http://www.malmaison-liverpool.com/

Top Ten Tips to Ensure You Dazzle on the Dancefloor!

It's Saturday night. Chinese takeout? Check. Chilled wine? Check. Strictly Coming Dancing 2010? Check. Appreciative ‘ooohs and aaahs’ at the Cha-Cha-Chas? Check your bad self!

Dance classes and lessons are proving really popular due to the sequins and salsa spins dazzling the nation on a Saturday night. And a lot more accessible thanks to the likes of the UK's leading wedding dance specialist, First Dance UK.

Bespoken Dreams partnered with FIRST DANCE UK to follow their step by step guide to ensure there's no murder on the dancefloor during your first dance!

"Do you really want to shuffle around the dance floor clinging to each other for your first dance?

Your wedding day has been fantastic! The speeches are over and now everyone is almost ready to boogie into the night. It’s then that you realise that it’s time for you to get up and lead the way with your First Dance. All eyes are going to be on you both as you take to the dance floor… Will you be shuffling around in circles? Or, will jaws hit the ground and spontaneous applause erupt as you elegantly take each other by the hand and expertly glide around the dance floor?


“Dancing is making a significant comeback following all of the recent TV programmes on dancing. More and more couples are realising how much fun it can be to dance together, especially for their First Dance”.
Gemma Rogers, Director – First Dance UK.

Here are our top 10 tips on how to make the most of your first dance:

1. Choose your song wisely
Your first dance song is meant to mean something to you both. It’s likely to be a romantic song, but it really doesn’t have to be. You both need to know and like/love it. Just ensure that you know the lyrics and they’re not about breaking up or similar (‘Nothing Compares to You’ by Sinead O’Connor is a fine example of this as it’s a beautiful song, but totally inappropriate because she has just lost her love!)

2. Have a go at dancing to the song
Grab your other half and pretend it’s your first dance. Give it a try and dance together in your living room.

3. Apply moves to certain points in the song
It’ll be much easier to dance to if you familiarise yourselves with the song and apply moves t certain point in the song. For example, if you can associate a twist, a kiss and a lean to a particular section in the song, you’ll soon build up a routine that you’ll remember and will be able to repeat.

4. If you really have no idea, and two left feet, get help!
Don’t worry! It’s quite normal these days that couples haven’t danced together before. There are plenty of places where you can now get dance lessons, whether they be regular group classes, or private lessons specifically for your first dance.

5. Ladies – think about your shoes and dress
Any time you dance together, make sure you wear shoes similar to the ones you’ll be wearing on the day. Also, if you have a dress that will restrict your movement by its size or cut then ensure you, or your dance teacher, take this into account.

6. Film yourselves
If you’re having lessons, film yourselves as you learn so that you can then reference the film and ensure you’re doing it correctly… as well as improving wherever you’re missing a step.

7. Practice, Practice, Practice
The more you can practice, the more natural it’s going to look on the day and the more fun you’re going to have.

8. Relax
This is the most important piece of advice. The more you can relax the smoother your movements will be and the more you will glide elegantly around the dance floor.

9. On the day - Just go for it
You’ve practiced and practiced and so by now your dance and song should be second nature to you. If you make a mistake, don’t worry at all, just carry on and get back on track when you can. In that way, no-one at all will know that you had a moment of ‘freestyle’!

10. Take a bow
Fantastic, you’re first dance is complete! Your friends and family are going crazy and had no idea you could dance so well together. Savour the moment and then grab everyone else onto the dance floor to boogie the night away."

First Dance UK
Wedding Dance Lesson Specialists - Nationwide
0203 286 6975
http://www.firstdanceuk.co.uk/

"Gemma (Armer) was an absolute delight! A true professional and fun to work with. The routine matched our first dance, Stuck On You, perfectly and Gemma made each hour lesson fun. We are complete novices and Gemma made us feel competely at ease. We are so pleased we did it as it certainly added to the magic of the night, a complete fairytale! Thanks Gemma!"
Helen & John Burns, Saturday 29th August 2009