Event Planning

Everybody has their own individual ideas about what constitutes their dream wedding. First of all, if you are the bride or groom it is important to talk to your future spouse about the type of wedding that they want to have. There has to be some sort of shared agreement about the type of wedding between the couple, otherwise things may get off to a very bad start! From venues to seating plans, and wedding invitations to catering options, dream weddings can involve an awful lot of organisation and forward planning.

There are a number of different things to consider when planning a wedding. The first major decision involves the date. If you don’t know when you are getting married you cannot start booking other related wedding services, so it is important to decide on a date as soon as possible. Some couples like to get married quickly, whereas others set a date which is a couple of years away in order to give themselves time to save up for their dream event. No matter what choice you make, once a date has been set it is a good idea to send out save the date cards as soon as possible to give guests a lot of advanced notice to organise their diaries.

Once a date has been set, you need to choose where you want to get married. Do you want to go for a traditional white wedding in a church, or would you prefer a lower key do at the civil registrations office? Another issue to consider regards the area in which you want to get married. Many brides prefer to get married in their home town near the place where they grew up. However, if a couple are from opposite ends of the country, it may be easier to find a venue which is located halfway in-between so that both sets of friends and family have shorter distances to travel.

Another option to consider is the possibility of getting married abroad. This is an increasingly popular option for many couples as it can save worrying about issues of family tension. Getting married abroad means that you may not have as many guests as you would back home, but this is not necessarily a bad thing when you only want to invite extremely close friends and family. Remember that there is also always the option of holding a massive party for friends who couldn’t make the wedding once you get back home.

Choosing the right type of wedding stationery can really set the tone of a wedding from the word go. Couples often like to choose cards which reflect their own personalities. Draw up a list of guests and always keep an eye on the wedding budget. It is no fun to start your married life in debt. Catering is always important at a wedding. Some people like to go for full course sit down meals whereas others prefer a more relaxed buffet vibe – do what suits you best.

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.

From superstar warbler Mariah Carey to bootilicious Beyonce - these stunning celebrities share more in common than just their good looks, success and talent - they are among the coolest mummies on the planet! Just in the musical category alone, mums like Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani, Mel B, and now our very own Adele, are leading the list of superstar celebrity mums who seem to juggle their work and home life - how do they do it??? And then we have the likes of Victoria Beckham (four kids and counting), Michelle Obama, Sarah Jessica Parker (with twins added to the family last year), Madonna...the list goes on and on! Being a mum is hard work, but being a celebrity mum must be even harder. Despite this, these stunning female A-listers have gone and proved that you can juggle demanding work schedules, glitz and glamour, and motherhood, all the while making it look super easy and stylish (and, dare we say, skinny!) Not only have these gorgeous ladies popped out their babies, but they still manage to look as beautiful as ever. We'd like to blame magazine touch-upss, but we've seen these women on film from the red carpet too, and they look flawless. Having frequently been papped out and about with their tots, whether it be school runs, or having them accompany them to fashion runway shows, these A-listers have managed everything, from birth and baptisms to over-the-top 1st birthday parties and beyond. And for those who didn't feature in Hello! magazine for every important event of their baby's life, we can only imagine the scale of some of their baptism celebrations - can you imagine!!!

Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden are showing off their gorgeous Little Princess Estelle in the press this week. The totally adorable seven-month-old baby girl is showered in affection by her parents, in a series of adorable snaps for celebrity magazines. Estelle is the future queen of Sweden, and is a perfect combination of her parents: with daddy's green eyes and her mummy's open smile. The photos were being taken to celebrate a new exhibition, 'Princess Estelle - Birth and Baptism', which opened last week in the royal palace. It details the little princess's baptism, and how the royal court prepared for the big day. Royal watchers can also view the beautiful christening gown the royal baby wore on her special day. Estelle had her christening on May 22nd this year in the magnificent, gold-trimmed 17th-century chapel where her ancestors have been baptised for generations. And, living up to her astral name, Estelle was a little star during the proceedings, and opened her eyes with curiosity when the baptismal water was poured over her head, rather tha screaming the place down! Estelle is one of a new generation of female future sovereigns - along with Elisabeth of Belgium, Dutch Princess Catharina-Amalia and Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, she is likely to reign towards the middle of the century.

Deciding to get hitched to your partner can be exciting. You’re agreeing to move into a new phase of your relationship and indeed your life as a whole. However, it’s not as simple as signing a document. You’ll need to choose what sort of ceremony you want. These days, there are plenty of options when it comes to nuptial celebrations and if you fancy something a little out of the ordinary, you can go for a beach wedding. These events are the perfect excuse to get some sunshine and the sand and sea make for a romantic backdrop on your big day. To help coordinate the theme of the event, you can invest in some gorgeous beach wedding invitations. It’s now simple to get your hands on these items and they can help to get friends and family in the mood for the occasion. You’re not alone Across the world, an increasing number of couples are considering tying the knot on the beach. According to a Fox News report, to accommodate the rising demand, cruise lines are now offering complete wedding experiences that are part seaborne adventures, part beach paradise. The news source stated: “Cruise passengers board vessels with their betrothed in hand and their wedding parties in tow - all of whom will jump ship to celebrate the big event on, and then re-board where the party continues.” The full package To make your life easier, you might opt to go for a full package that includes such things as flowers, music, an official to conduct the ceremony, a cake and more. Could the Caribbean be ideal? One of the destinations you might have in mind is the Caribbean. These sun-soaked, beautiful islands renowned for their white sands and clear waters can make a superb setting for weddings. One hot spot is Antigua and Beverly King, wedding planner at the Jolly Beach Resort & Spa on the island, said: “Back in 2006 when Antigua was named Wedding Destination of the Caribbean the government scaled back its regulations so that couples could get married quick and easy.” It’s all in the preparation Heading off to idyllic locations to wed your other half may sound like a dream come true, but to ensure the event runs smoothly, it’s vital to plan all the details. If you opt for a cruise package, this could be relatively straightforward because the company you select should cover many of the extras. However, if you opt to book the elements of your big day independently, it’s important to be rigorous. The last thing you want to do is to turn up at your destination of choice only to discover something is amiss. We can help When it comes to wedding invitation cards and other items of stationery, you can come here to us at The Card Gallery. We’re passionate about beautiful cards, invitations, photo books and so on and should have just what you’re after. By taking a look around the beach themed section of our website, you should be able to find the perfect text or photo wedding invites and other items for you. Sources: http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2012/09/18/couples-jump-ship-to-tie-knot/ https://www.dottyaboutpaper.co.uk// https://www.dottyaboutpaper.co.uk//section.php/33/1/beach-wedding-invitations

Justin Timberlake has had to write an open letter to apologise for a video that was planned to be shown at his wedding. The video, which was filmed by Justin's friends, featured homeless people from the streets of Los Angeles sending well wishes to the singer and his gorgeous new bride, Jessica Biel. Other people on the video included various street musicians and random transsexuals, who recorded personal messages to the couple. The video - meant as a jokey element to the wedding day - was obviously done in bad taste, and was more of a Stag Do stunt that a wedding feature we feel! The video begins with the message "Greetings from your Hollywood friends who just couldn't make it". Also in the video, a man with missing teeth says: "Jessica and Justin I haven't seen you for a long time, my gift is in the mail". One of the homeless people involved in the recording has revealed that he was paid £25 to take part in the video. The singer took to his website to apologise but denied knowing anything about it. He also says it was not shown at the actual wedding. He said in a statement: "I don't live my life making fun of people especially those who are less fortunate or those in need. I am deeply sorry to anyone who was offended by the video. I do understand the reaction and, by association, I am holding myself accountable. My friends are good people. This was clearly a lapse in judgment which I'm sure no one who is reading this is exempt from". What's that saying...be nice to the people you meet on the way up, because you may bump into them again on the way down...

As we move closer to Halloween, that must mean that Christmas is right around the corner and, therefore, the end of 2012...where did the year go? We thought we'd take a look back at some of the year's celebrity weddings so far. Some to die for, some you wouldn't be seen dead at! Here they are: Anne Hathaway marries Adam Shulman A definite hit with us. Gorgeous dress, handsome groom, stunning bride - we kind of knew that this wedding would be no less than perfect. Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty Bit of a whirlwind one this was! Still, Cat looked stunning and the wedding took place in Rome. Enough said. Holly Valance marries Nick Candy in Beverly Hills The colour of Holly's dress was described as ivory and pigeon. Pigeons are also described as rats with wings. They was no need love. Gorgeous couple though so we think we might be able to forgive Holly on this occasion. Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake This couple are too cute for words. The dress was pink - not Jordan-esque, but still pink and we can;t help but think that's a little bit wrong. You dream of a pink wedding dress when you're 5 years old, not when you're a grown woman. We're just jealous Jessica. Lisa Stelly and Jack Osbourne We thought this wedding would be a bit of a nightmare to pull off with a mother-in-law like Mrs Sharon, but it was a lovely wedding. It was made all the more poignant with Jack's revelation that he has MS. Lovely couple, brand new baby, we wish them all the very best!

A wedding planner at one of the UK's top luxury hotels has been disciplined for describing a couple as "not the type of people that we would want" to get married at their venue! Can you even imagine reading that??? Pauline Bailey and her fiance Paul Carty had wanted to hold their wedding at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire. But Miss Bailey received an email from their wedding planner which was sent to her by mistake. The email was sent after the couple visited the five-star venue. After meeting with them, the wedding planner sent an email to her manager, but also copied in Miss Bailey in error - doh! An excerpt from the email read: "I know this probably doesn't sound very nice, but I am trying to put this wedding off as I don't think they are the type of people that we would want to have at Stoke Park." Miss Bailey said in an interview: "It was devastating. At the time it was pretty crushing, really. I am actually over it now. Most brides want a fantastic wedding, the perfect wedding venue and we had gone to around 15 wedding venues. We finally went to Stoke Park and we went, 'Yep, this is the venue'. We went to see it, had a 10-minute meeting with Michele herself and she seemed lovely at the time. I was quite excited about it and went round and told all the relatives, 'This is where we are getting married. Look how beautiful it is. Ten days later we had heard nothing and I decided to give her a call because I knew something was going on. She got back to me and said, 'I do apologise, I have been taking some holiday leave. I will get back to you and confirm some provisional bookings. The morning after, that was when I received the email." The couple have decided to hold their wedding next June at another venue, in spite of Stoke Park's apology and invitation for them to consider holding their wedding there.

If you are getting married and already have young children of your own, it can be difficult trying to include them in your wedding preparations and, as a result, they can unintentionally feel left out. Usually, younger children are often given the roles of bridesmaids, flower girls, page boys, etc, so that they feel they have an important role to play on your wedding day.

Another way to get youngsters involved is to let them help out with the wedding invitations and general wedding stationeryfor your special day. Whether you ask for their advice when choosing colour schemes, get them to draw up a mock design, or actually get them involved in mouse-clicking to order the wedding invitations, it’s a good project for them to feel more involved.

It’s also a long-term project which starts at the very beginning of planning for your wedding with save the date cards, right through to the thank you cards for after the big event. Your youngsters will cheer the delivery of your wedding stationery and be amazed at how the process goes from ordering online to licking the envelopes (a good job for them, by the way!)

And – after all their help – its only fair that they be rewarded with a little gift, so why not order some wedding sweets along with the wedding invitations and munch away while you all muck in and label those envelopes!

Are you in need of some wedding table plan help...especially when it comes to your top table layout? Then look no further! The diagrams below are designed to help you with designing your top table... The Traditional Top Table The Bride's Parents-Separated/Remarried Top Table: The Groom's Parents-Separated/Remarried Top Table: Alternative Top Table: