Event Planning

We may be in the depths of winter with Christmas being just around the corner, but if you’ve got a spring wedding coming up chances are you’re already getting excited. These few months will go incredibly quickly and the big day will be here before you know it, and that means you need to make sure you’re getting everything finalised.

Get the basics right

Yes, the venue will ideally have already been chosen and the wider arrangements made, but now it’s time to start focusing on the details. If you haven’t got the dress or suits sorted yet then now’s the time to do so, and make sure you’re giving yourself enough time to get those vital alterations done (but with everyone going a bit overboard during the festive season you might want to leave the final alterations until the New Year…). Organising the catering will be next on the list as will the bar service and music/entertainment, and of course, choosing the cake will be a vital (and enjoyable) part of any wedding plan.

Set the scene

Getting the setting right is vital to any wedding. You want it to feel romantic, personal and truly special with the background making all the difference, adding to the atmosphere and ensuring everything comes together. You’ll hopefully have a set theme or colour scheme which means you can start building your wedding day around it—things like flowers can be easily coordinated to suit, and as it’s a spring wedding you’ll probably want to go quite seasonal to keep it fresh and truly breathtaking. Things like the chair covers, sashes and table decorations can be coordinated with your wider scheme too, with the little details being the glue that holds everything together and providing the perfect finishing touch.

Make sure people know when to arrive!

In the rush to organise the wedding itself it can sometimes be easy to overlook the most important aspect of all—the invitations! Without them people simply won’t know when to arrive, and don’t leave it too late if you want to make sure everyone can attend. It’s a fine line you need to cross—send out the invites too early and people could forget about it but send them too late and they won’t be able to go, so getting the balance right is key. Save the date cards are ideal and can ensure guests will have a visual reminder, and make sure to opt for personalised options for a high-impact, memorable result.

If you’re looking for the invites to suit, you’ve come to the right place. We’re leading providers of wedding stationery in the UK and have all the invitations and cards you could need, and we can even provide orders of service and wedding table plans to ensure everything can come together perfectly. With a bit of time and attention you’ll have everything you need for the ultimate spring wedding, so start getting things finalised—your big day will be here sooner than you think…

We thought we'd heard all the oddest special occasion news here...getting married underwater, birthday celebrations spent bungee jumping off bridges, babies being born to their mum's concert performance soundtrack (yes Mariah, we mean you!)...but this latest special occasion news has to top them all. A baby names Hashtag! We have checked out the Facebook page which is being publicised everywhere, where the following message appears: "Hashtag Jameson was born at 10 oclock last nite. She weys 8pounds and I luv her so much!!!!!!" Included is a photo of a baby - sleeping away and gloriously unaware that it has been named after something people do on a micro-messaging website. And, far be it for us to judge what anyone wants to name their baby...but, Hashtag? Surely someone needs to advocate for that little girl who is going to grow up with the most unusual (and topical) name we've ever heard. Is it a joke, we ask? Do the parents completely adore that name, or is it nothing more than a fad names which sounds like a bit of fun? That baby is going to grow into a woman at some point you know! Fashions do change though, and this we completely understand. For example, Amelia was the most popular baby girl name in the UK in 2011. Maybe in our future lies a new generation of Blogs, Tweets and little Pintrests...we hope not. Anyway, # aside, we do like names that are a little different, so please email us with your little one's name if it's something off the beaten track. Send your names to tracy@dottyaboutpaper.co.uk and we'll compile a list of our favourite ones.

Kim Kardashian reportedly wants a wedding to rival that of Prince William and Kate Middleton!

Although Kim is still legally married to ex-love Kris Humphries, she is already planning her wedding to boyfriend Kanye West, and is said to want a huge English event to rival that of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. A friend of Kim's said: "Kim would love to wed at Westminster Abbey like William and Catherine, but that won't be possible. Instead she's been looking at castles near London. She wants the most spectacular wedding and she's talking about having guests like Jay-Z and Beyonce, Eva Longoria, Lindsay Lohan, Rihanna and Katy Perry arrive in horse drawn carriages - just like the royal wedding." Now, we are with Kim on coveting everything about Williams and Kate's gorgeous day - we still have out hearts set on THAT dress! - but c'mon Kim, have a bit of originality will you! Are you planning on recreating a famous wedding for your big day? If so, drop us an email to tracy@dottyaboutpaper.co.uk - we'd love to hear how you're using elements of a big wedding and incorporating them into your dream day.

Take a look at our great range of Christmas and New Year Stationery: Christmas Party Invitations & New Year Party Invitations Perfect for your Christmas and New Year parties! Send out your invites to announce a Christmas or New Year get-together and see in the Festive Season and New Year with a bang! Personalised Christmas Cards Personalised cards are a great idea to give out to friends and family - especially if you want to feature the children in your Christmas message! Cards can then be framed and used as photographs. Christmas Photo Albums For all of those party photos and pictures of the kids opening their presents, families getting together and a few fun pics of the snow (fingers crossed!). Photo albums are a great way of keeping all of your memories in one place, to look back on time and time again.

Take a look at our great range of retirement stationery: Retirement Invitations Perfect for your retirement party! Send out your invites to announce your special occasion and get everyone together for a party. Retirement Guest Books These are a great addition to your retirement party - or to take in on your last day at work for everyone to sign. You'll be able to look back on your colleagues fond wishes for many years to come. Retirement Photo Albums For all of those party photos and pictures of your last day at work. Photo albums are a great way of keeping all of your memories in one place, to look back on time and time again.

Here at The Card Gallery we like to keep our fingers on the pulse. We realise that the right invites will be a very personal thing but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep an eye on wider trends, so we thought we’d take a look at the latest trends in wedding invites to give you a bit of inspiration:

• The invitation that tells a story. The storyteller invite adds an even more personal touch, and it injects a sense of humour into things too—it’s a chance to tell the story of how you met and what your life has been like before going into the details of the wedding, letting your personality really shine through for a truly unique result.
• The minimalist look. Contemporary, minimalist invitations are growing in popularity—they’re sleek, sophisticated and understated, being ideal for modern couples or for contemporary weddings that are taking a distinctly “less is more” approach.
• The arty invite. If you’ve got an arty side you’ll want to bring it out in your invitations, and luckily there are plenty of options to consider when it comes to this look. You could go folksy, crafty or all-out fine art, creating invitations that perfectly reflect your style.
• The unusual material. You don’t have to stick to plain old paper, with a big trend being invites crafted from (or joined by) unusual materials—wood carvings and handkerchiefs are popular options, being a great alternative to traditional invites and adding a sense of charm into proceedings.
• The DIY invitation. The DIY invite adds an extra personal touch and can be perfect for vintage-inspired weddings or even for couples that are on a bit of a budget, letting you put your own stamp on things for a truly bespoke result.

More than just an invitation

These days there’s far more to invitations than meets the eye. They do far more than provide basic logistical information, not only telling guests where and when the wedding will take place but actually giving a sneak peek into what they can expect from the big day itself, with them being a great way to get across your own personality and sense of style. The invitations are as personal and heartfelt as anything else and couples spend a great deal of time ensuring theirs are just right, and if you’re looking for wedding stationery that can deliver the right impact you’ve come to the right place.

Get the invitations you want

Here at The Card Gallery we’ve got a fantastic range of all the invites you could ever need, covering everything from contemporary wedding invites to traditional versions as well as those with a distinctly artistic feel, and we’ve got a great selection of DIY options too to ensure you get the perfect result. We know the difference the right invites can make and we know you want to keep up with the trends too, so make sure to take a look around and you could soon have the invitations that are perfect for your big day.

The National Forest are offering prospective brides a unique way to unleash the animal on their hen nights...llama trekking!

Brides-to-be are booking the woolly South American beasts to unwind with on their hen nights. Some people choose to go off to big towns like Blackpool, London or Brighton for the night, others book cottages and end up having their catering done by an organisation like Butlers In The Buff, whilst others will head to the spa for a relaxing weekend. But hen parties in the National Forest see brides-to-be enjoying spending time with the llamas, and taking a half-day trek as part of a long weekend they have booked. The motto of ‘You feel calmer when you walk with a llama’ is the perfect sell for girls fretting about their big day at the altar. A llama trek hen party is really relaxing – but great fun too. And the organisers report a dramatic reduction in alcohol consumption too, as girls find the animals so soothing that they tend not to get drunk, and just spend the time enjoying the animals and having fun outdoors. After the trek, you get to spend the night a traditional Mongolian yurt, with all food provided. The yurt creates a really nice atmosphere, being round it’s so much nicer than a square room like a bar or nightclub. We wonder if this hen night craze will catch on...watch this space!

A christening is a special time for the parents, friends, and family of a new baby. First of all, the parents of the child have to choose the godparents. Choices of godparents typically range from close friends to brothers or sisters. New parents should not take the decision of who is going to act as godparent for their baby lightly. Godparents should be able to be trusted implicitly as they will have responsibility to lend a hand in the spiritual guidance of the child. However, once the core issues have been decided on, focus should switch to the type of party or reception that will be thrown for friends and family after the christening.

First of all, remember that you are in charge of your own child’s christening event. You do not have to invite certain people if you really don’t want to. Decide on whom you are sending christening invites to as early as possible but don’t go over your financial budget by inviting the entire world if you cannot afford to. Christening parties do not have to be loud or flashy affairs, and there is no need to splash out on luxury decorations unless you really want to. Most people enjoy having a few balloons here and there – especially as these can provide a form of entertainment for any other young children attending the christening.

Most christening receptions involve putting on a spread of food for guests to enjoy. Rather than spending hours slaving away in the kitchen on your own, call in professional caterers who will do all the hard work for you. If you are hiring a hotel room or pub to hire your reception at, they may also offer a food service. Otherwise, there are plenty of professional mobile caterers who work in every type of setting. During the warmer summer months guests may enjoy a barbeque outside in a garden. However, if there is a chance of bad weather it is better to stay safe indoors with a buffet or sit down meal.

When sending out your christening invitations you should consider the ways in which you could further involve them in the special day. Christening or wedding guest books are a nice touch to have at any personal family celebration as they give people the chance to write down special messages directly to the parents and child. There is a growing trend to have a video recorder set up at christening parties so that guests can also record visual messages. This will provide a lovely keepsake and memory for years to come.

The chances are that there will be a lot of other young children at a christening. As such, it is often a good idea to provide a way of entertaining them. Unusual ideas can include hiring a bouncy castle for guests to enjoy, or creating a treasure hunt around the reception venue. Whatever happens, make sure that you find the time to enjoy your child’s christening as it will only happen once.

Can you have religious references at a Naming Ceremony? By all means, if there are religious readings or references that have special meaning for you, you should include them in your ceremony.

Is there an official certificate for a Naming Ceremony? Usually a commemorative certificate will be signed during your ceremony. If you would like additional certificates i.e. Supporting Adult Promises and Grandparents' Promises, you can find companies who provide these online. Who can arrange a Naming Ceremony? Any parent can make the arrangements to hold a Naming Ceremony. Likewise, anyone who has parental responsibility or legal guardianship of the child/ren can also arrange it. Parents do not have to be married and can come from any cultural background, with any spiritual or religious beliefs or with none. When can Naming Ceremonies be held? Ceremonies can be conducted at any time that is convenient to both you and the Celebrant (the official registrar). Alternatively, you can purchase or look up scripts online and a friend or family member can conduct the ceremony for you. How long does a Naming Ceremony last? This depends on how much you choose to include. Most naming ceremonies generally last between twenty and twenty five minutes. Remember that the ceremony itself can be part of a potentially much bigger family event, and there are countless additional activities you can arrange to enhance the overall success of the whole day. Can we organise a Naming ceremony at short notice? A naming ceremony can be arranged within a few weeks but it can take a lot longer to organise, depending on what you wish to include. We would always advise that it is best to plan your ceremony as far in advance as possible so you have lots of time to send out your naming ceremony invitations and aren’t stressed out with last-minute arrangements.

Britain's oldest man has celebrated his 100th birthday, and has put his longevity down to a combination of idleness and drinking a mysterious potion as a young boy!

The former church minister from Derbyshire has revealed the secret of his long life was being lazy. Reg added that his life span may also be due to a brown potion that a doctor in Bombay gave him just before the first world war. Reg said: "He said 'if you drink this you will live for ever' – and this is the result." Reg took over the title of Britain's oldest man after Stanley Lucas, from Cornwall, died in June 2010, aged 110. The world's oldest living man is Jiroemon Kimura from Japan, aged 115. Reg has been married three times, and has lived through two world wars and a whopping twenty-four prime ministers. He worked as a minister until his retirement at the grand old age of eighty. A public concert was held last Saturday to celebrate his momentous birthday. When asked how he felt, he told the BBC: "A year older than when I was 109!" Good old Reg! For all your birthday celebrations, we have a range of stationery just for you: Birthday Party Invitations Birthday Thank You Cards Birthday Guest Books Birthday Photo Albums Birthday Envelope Seals

A Naming Ceremony is a really important moment in your child's life – and an important memory for the family as a whole. It is the moment that you officially welcome a new person into the family in front of everyone you love, and a lot of people choose to give speeches at a Naming Ceremony. If this is something that you plan on doing, here's our guide to writing a Naming Ceremony speech for you little one's special day.