December 2016 - Bridebook

Top 7 Wedding Trends For 2017

Curious about what 2017 has in store for the wonderful world of weddings? Well, not to panic, because it’s here: Bridebook’s list of the Top 7 Wedding Trends you should expect to see in 2017. And don’t forget, we’re not just trend spotters, but also problem solvers. We have all the wedding planning tools you’ll need in the run-up (better yet, they’re free!), as well as the UK’s #1 Wedding Planning App. We’re your new best friend – and thrilled to be so, too.

Original Forms of Transport

2017 will bring new and modern ways of arriving at your wedding. We’re talking speed boating, parachuting, rowing (check out the amazing boat photo by Lars May below!) or even paragliding down the aisle! Never mind the wind swept look, it will add a complete WOW factor to your big day. Not feeling brave enough? Get some encouragement from our “Flying Bride” article; yes, a bride that actually flew down the aisle being held up by 250 helium filled balloons (all thanks to The Molecule Show)!

Blank Canvas Venues

This year, we’re saying ENOUGH to the hair-pulling vision-ruining frustration that can accompany short approved supplier lists and no blu-tack rules. Instead, couples are taking their wedding by the horns, and looking to fairly blank venues to be able to make their big day completely their own. of the spreadsheet and hair-pulling nonsense that has been associated with wedding planning for so long. Instead, introduce yourself to the UK’s largest wedding venue directory, where you can find the perfect place for your big day – whether that’s a renovated farm or a disused pickle factory.

Dress Less Bride

Who says you have to wear a dress at your wedding? The “dress-less” bride is one of the hottest wedding trends that has continued on from 2016. Look no further than bridal companies, House of Ollichon and Yolan Cris who will kit you out head to toe with a completely unique look.

Half Day Weddings

If you have a half day wedding, you could save yourself a small fortune. Have fun getting inventive with your eating options and serve your guests high tea or brunch instead of a full-blown wedding breakfast. Your guests will still love the food you serve and love the experience, but you’ll have saved some cash that could go elsewhere.

Dessert Wine

Instead of the usual champagne toast, serving dessert wine instead is actually much cheaper. Plus it has the extra benefit of being nice and sugary to get your guests all fired up for the dance floor!

Sharing Plates

Continuing the wedding breakfast theme – sharing plates are another hot 2017 wedding trend. They’ll create a great atmosphere around the table as your guests all share a meal together. It also allows your guests to be in control of their portion sizes. More roast potatoes for me, please! Top tip – make sure your table isn’t too cluttered with glassware, flowers or centerpieces to allow ample space for you and your fellow diners.

Virtual Reality – Film Your Wedding in 360

The rise of wedding videography has been well documented, and 2017 is going to see it get an upgrade. The Christmas present of choice, Virtual Reality, is set to be the next big thing. With VR videographers and apps soon to pour into the market you’re going to want to have your big day filmed in 360, so you can re-live your big day, anytime you like!

Happy Planning!

How To: Look After Your Engagement Ring

Congratulations, you’re engaged! You’ve been dreaming of this ring for years, and now that it’s a permanent fixture on your left hand, you’re going to want to ensure it stays looking sparkly and new for many more. After all, you need to guarantee that you can see the glint in your peripheral vision when you’re searching for venues in our online directory, right?

Insurance

This should be first on your list of things to do – you never know what could happen to your brand new piece of bling. It sounds like an obvious thing to do, but we hear far too many heartbreaking stories about rings being lost or stolen…make sure you don’t have one of these to tell! Remember to add this to your specific total on our free budgeting tool, too; that way you can keep all of your costs together in one place.

Leave it to the professionals

Schedule regular maintenance and cleaning of your ring with professionals. Whatever you do…don’t do this at home, because you run the risk of damaging the ring more. With regular maintenance and cleaning, you can ensure your diamond stays in tip-top condition and stays firmly in place.

Avoid harsh chemicals

Fancy a bit of spring cleaning? Your best bet is to take your ring off! But remember to store it in a safe, dry place. You could, of course, alternatively wear gloves, but if your ring has a stone or a setting, it’s likely to rip the material.

Take Care

Yes, diamonds are famed for their strength as one of the world’s hardest natural materials, but that doesn’t mean they can’t chip! Be careful not to knock your ring against other hard surfaces.

Happy Planning!

More wedding planning advice below:

Tips to The Groom: Writing Your Wedding Speech

Wedding Survival Kit: 28 Items You’ll Need

73 Must-See Wedding Venues in The UK

Wedding readings for all denominations

Do you need help choosing the readings at your wedding? Is it an inter-faith ceremony, Jewish, Christian or secular. Below are examples of Bridebook’s favourite readings!

Bridebook.co.uk- vicar standing with order of service — By Chris Giles

A reading from the Book of Genesis 1:26-28, 31a (Catholic)

Then God said:
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, and the cattle,
and over all the wild animals
and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.”
God created man in his image;
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them, saying:
“Be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,
and all the living things that move on the earth.”
God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.
The word of the Lord.

Bridebook.co.uk- guests sitting listening to wedding readings — By John Lennie

Winnie-the-Pooh, AA Milne (book)

Wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,

There’s always Pooh and Me.

Whatever I do, he wants to do,

“Where are you going today?” says Pooh:

“Well, that’s very odd ‘cos I was too.

Let’s go together,” says Pooh, says he.

“Let’s go together,” says Pooh.

So wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,

There’s always Pooh and Me.

“What would I do?” I said to Pooh,

“If it wasn’t for you,” and Pooh said: “True,

It isn’t much fun for One, but Two,

Can stick together, says Pooh, says he. “That’s how it is,” says Pooh.

Bridebook.co.uk- bridesmaid reading from a piece of paper — By Luis Holden

Les Misérables, Victor Hugo (book)

“The future belongs to hearts even more than it does to minds. Love, that is the only thing that can occupy and fill eternity. In the infinite, the inexhaustible is requisite.

Love participates of the soul itself. It is of the same nature. Like it, it is the divine spark; like it, it is incorruptible, indivisible, imperishable. It is a point of fire that exists within us, which is immortal and infinite, which nothing can confine, and which nothing can extinguish. We feel it burning even to the very marrow of our bones, and we see it beaming in the very depths of heaven.”

Bridebook.co.uk- reading being said at the lectern — By Miki Photography

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte (book)

“I have for the first time found what I can truly love – I have found you. You are my sympathy – my better self – my good angel; I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think you good, gifted, lovely: a fervent, a solemn passion is conceived in my heart; it leans to you, draws you to my center and spring of life, wraps my existence about you – and, kindling in pure, powerful flame, fuses you and me in one.”

Bridebook.co.uk- couple saying their vows in a beautiful church — By Raw Silk Photography

1 Corinthian 13 (Church of England)

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Bridebook.co.uk- bride and groom signing the register with the priest — By Ten Twenty One Photography

3) Time In A Bottle by Jim Croce (song)

“If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I’d like to do, is to save every day ‘till eternity passes away, just to spend them with you. If I could make days last forever; if words could make wishes come true; I’d save every day like a treasure and then, again, I would spend them with you. If I had a box just for wishes, and dreams that had never come true; the box would be empty, except for the memory of how they were answered by you. But there never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do, once you find them. I’ve looked around enough to know that you’re the one I want to go through time with.”

Bridebook.co.uk- bridesmaids reading from the order of service — By Simon Biffen Photography

The Seven Benedictions The Sheva Brachot (Jewish)

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, King of the universe, Who has created everything for your glory.

Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, King of the universe, Creator of Human Beings.

Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, King of the universe, Who has fashioned human beings in your image, according to your likeness and has fashioned from it a lasting mold. Blessed are You Adonai, Creator of Human Beings.

Bring intense joy and exultation to the barren one (Jerusalem) through the ingathering of her children amidst her in gladness. Blessed are You, Adonai, Who gladdens Zion through her children.

Gladden the beloved companions as You gladdened Your creatures in the garden of Eden. Blessed are You, Adonai, Who gladdens groom and bride.

Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, King of the universe, Who created joy and gladness, groom and bride, mirth, glad song, pleasure, delight, love, brotherhood, peace, and companionship. Adonai, our God, let there soon be heard in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the grooms’ jubilance from their canopies and of the youths from their song-filled feasts. Blessed are You Who causes the groom to rejoice with his bride.

Bridebook.co.uk- jewish wedding — By David Pullum Photography

Saptapadi (Hindu)

Now let us make a vow together. We shall share love, share the same food, share our strengths, share the same tastes. We shall be of one mind, we shall observe the vows together. I shall be the Samaveda, you the Rigveda, I shall be the Upper World, you the Earth; I shall be the Sukhilam, you the Holder – together we shall live and beget children, and other riches; come thou, O sweet-worded girl!

Introduction: Your Wedding Venue

Usually the news of engagement (wahoo!) results in the couple being swamped with endless well wishes, congratulations and bubbly. You’re also probably being asked the inevitable questions of when and where, which means that one of the first exciting jobs as a newly engaged couple is looking for the perfect wedding venue. Hurrah! Have a look at our venue directory (it’s the biggest in the UK, though we don’t like to brag too much) and get some cogs whirring – but before you start booking viewings, hold your horses and read our introduction on all you need to know!

1. Budget

Finding the perfect wedding venue is an important task, as prices can range from £1000 to as much as £6000, which naturally demands a large portion of your wedding budget. Even if you are working on a very tight budget, you can still have the venue of your dreams, especially if you read some of our venue saving tips here – there’s something for everyone!

2. Guests

Once you have decided on a budget, have a think about the number of guests you would like to invite. Don’t panic though, as exact numbers at this stage are not a necessity, just make sure you don’t go to viewings at smaller venues when you are planning to have 200 guests, and large venues when you are aiming for an intimate wedding of 20. Time is precious people!

3. Location

Location, location, location! Now’s the time to start thinking where you would like your wedding reception to be. If you are getting married in a church, the reception should not be too far away, so that you and your guests don’t spend half the day travelling and encountering potential traffic jams (this will only exhaust and stress you out).

If you want to get married at your reception venue, then we recommend you look for separate rooms within the building: one for the ceremony and the other for the party. It’s possible to have one room for both, but it takes time to turn the room around, so you’ll need to entertain the guests for the changeover.

4. Seasons

Consider the season in which you would like to get married and the style you want your wedding to be in. No longer are rustic weddings in gorgeous marquees limited to summer and chic hotel ballrooms reserved for winter weddings. With the proper organisation, you can have your perfect wedding in the venue of your dreams, no matter the weather (marquees can be heated and hotels often boast gorgeous outdoor terraces and balconies). Sneaky tip: make sure your theme and venue compliment each other and reflect your personalities as a couple. (Have a look at some of our venue ideas here)

5. Do your research

Once you have considered all of the above – research, research, research! Look at venue galleries, read reviews and get inspired. Once you have a collection of your favourites go ahead and book some viewings! Have a look at the questions to ask here – we are always thinking of you!

Happy Planning!

An Insider’s Guide to a Deliciously Healthy & Happy Engagement

Alongside our free wedding planning tools, we also bring you expert advice from the industry’s creme de la creme. We were super lucky to chat to Ella Woodward – aka Deliciously Ella! The biggest food blogger of the moment and bride to be. She gives us her tips on feeling good on the wedding run up.

What can be achieved by eating and cooking in the Deliciously Ella way? (What are example dishes for breakfast, snacks, pudding etc)

Eating and cooking like this has really helped me be my healthiest and happiest and hopefully it can help others too! My favourite foods at the moment are smashed avocado on rye toast with lots of lemon, black pepper and chili; pasta arrabbiata and warming bowls of porridge with nut butter and berries, I also love the oaty banana breakfast bars and Chocolate Ganache Cake from the Mae Deli, the deli my fiancé and I recently opened.

How far in advance of your wedding should you start your healthy eating regime?

We try to make sure healthy eating is more of a lifestyle for us than a short spanned diet so I’m not sure, but recently I realised my wedding was not long away at all so booked in some of my favourite classes like yoga and boxing to get myself feeling really great!

What can you do 9 months in advance?

Look forward to your wedding! And if you want to make changes to your diet, then start introducing more fruit and veg and cutting back on refined sugar.

What can you do 4 months in advance?

Maybe eating all the foods that you know make you feel amazing. Lots of green and colourful vegetables! And like above, book in some of your favourite works outs or try to get to the gym a few times a week.

What would you recommend eating the night before and the morning of the big day? (to be glowing / no bloating etc)?

We have a rehearsal dinner the night before our wedding, so no doubt I’ll be eating lots of lovely food! But I think to try and help with those things maybe a warm vegetable salad for dinner and a smoothie, chia pudding or avocado on toast for breakfast, and lots of small snacks on hand so you don’t get exhausted.

Where and when are you getting married? What part of the day are you most excited about?

We’re getting married in April in the Caribbean, and to be honest I’m excited for all of it – I’m sure it will be amazing.

Happy Planning!

Moët & Chandon’s Guide To Champagne Celebrations

Weddings are one of the most emotive and memorable moments – the ultimate champagne celebration. With exquisite taste, a rich heritage and a spirit of glamorous spontaneity champagne promises one stylish celebration… let your champagne choice reflect your personality with Moët & Chandon’s bridal guide to champagne.

The Classic Bride

With a classic style your celebration is traditional without being stale. Drawing inspiration from icons including Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton you want your guests to raise a toast at your wedding reception that conveys quality.

Your aim is to celebrate in style with a wedding reception filled with glamourous guests sipping champagne out of coupes and dancing the night away to romantic tunes. For a sophisticated touch of glamour à la Marilyn Monroe serve the iconic Moët Impérial perfectly chilled at 8-9°C.

Founded in 1743 and a favourite of Madame Pompadour, Moët & Chandon quickly became an icon of elegance and quality – grapes are still handpicked to this date, yeast carefully selected for fermentation and the wine gracefully aged in the House’s legendary cellars. Granted the Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria 1893 and again by HM Queen Elizabeth II in 1955 Moët & Chandon will subtly convey your taste for quality and celebration.

The Princess Bride

A true romantic at heart you want a fairy tale wedding! You’re madly in love and you want the world to know it. Drawing inspiration from heroines such as Snow White and Belle, you dream of floating down an aisle of pink and white petals. Ready to enchant your guests with twinkling lights and a majestic ceremony arch you envision a bold celebration.

Rosé is the champagne for you – osé actually means daring in French and the style is associated with extravagant expressions of sentiment. Moët Rosé Impérial is a spontaneous and radiant expression of the Moët & Chandon style.

Distinguished by its bright fruitiness, enticing palate and elegant maturity the Moët Rosé Impérial is aged for a minimum of 24 months in the cellars resulting in an intense and supple finish. Dating back to the days of Napoleon who ordered 100 bottles of the House’s ‘Roze’ the tradition pink celebration continues to this day and your guests will be left with a rose tinted memory of your big day.

The Vintage Bride

Pearls, lace and vintage chic bridesmaid dresses are on your Pinterest Wedding board! What’s old is new again with this romantic wedding style. Gliding down the aisle in a lace dress exuding vintage glamour and sophistication in spades you want your guests to experience a taste of the past – a contemporary classic!

The ultimate expression of the Moët & Chandon style is the Grand Vintage. Masterfully crafted by winemaker Benoit Gouez the wine has aged for a minimum of 3 years and is only produced in years when conditions are ideal. Moët & Chandon is about to release the Grand Vintage Rosé 2008 carrying complex ripe berry fruit aromas with a long, silky finish that carry the flavours at each taste. The long cellar aging and miniscule bubbles are a hallmark of the supreme quality of the champagne.

Every detail of your wedding has been planned to perfection – the flowers, the table décor not to mention the invitation list. Having hand-picked your closest family and friends your guests are in for a real treat.

The Boho Bride

You don’t follow trends – you set them! You have no nostalgia for the past and want your wedding to be in the NOW. For a sleek and stylish celebration you draw inspiration from travels, art and your style icons of choice including reveller Kate Moss.

First to spot a trend your perfect champagne is the Moët Ice Imperial also available in rosé. Evoking the spirit of the French Riviera you envision a stylish celebration with spontaneous fun and a refreshing culinary discovery for your guests. Inspired by the Piscine cocktail (famously from the French Riviera) Moët Ice Imperial and Moët Ice Imperial Rosé have a heavier composition. 3 ice cubes perfectly dilute the champagne to bring out a vibrant flavour which stays fresh for longer.

For a spontaneous twist add strawberry or mint to the mix for a champagne cocktail that matches your adventurous personality. A fun loving and carefree bride you want celebrations to last well into the night before you sail away with your beau sipping leaving your guests to describe your wedding as the coolest party ever.

Bonus! Top Tips From Moet & Chandon

Play with bottle sizes! The Moët range is available in several formats including Mini (20cl), Magnum (3L) and Jeroboam (6L).
Select the right glassware. Coupes are enjoying a comeback but bubbles will be lost quicker compared to a flute. A new trend is the tulip glass that slows down the loss of CO2 but also looks stylishly modern.

Happy Planning!

Ready to find the perfect suppliers for your dream wedding? Search through all of the U.K’s best venues and suppliers by what matters most to you on Bridebook today! Just check out our state-of-the-art supplier search tool.

Introduction: Your Wedding Budget

Ok, ok, we know budget chat isn’t the most exciting part of wedding planning BUT it makes throwing an epic party possible, so that’s good enough for us! We’ve created a super powerful budgeting tool that takes your overall budget and breaks it down into estimated costs for each supplier. But before you get to that, a little background to budgeting brilliance is helpful, so here’s our step-by-step guide.

The Couple

First up, it’s important for you and your beloved to sit down and discuss what your budget could be, without any help. Working this out means you aren’t relying on anyone else and can start looking at what you want to spend where. At this stage, we recommend you decide on the parts that are most important to you and where you want to spend a little more dosh. Once you’ve laid those out, you can see how much money is left in the pot for everything else. As the home of the UK’s #1 Wedding App, we’ve got loads of helpful tips and tricks for you to save money – so even though you can probably see a few more digits than you’d like, don’t worry.

The Families

Once you have established how much the two of you can dedicate to the wedding fund, it’s time to sit down and talk budgets with your families. Often, both families try to help the couple financially, or to cover one aspect of the wedding, like the flowers or the booze. Don’t feel shifty about it – just grab a cuppa and sit down with your parents to talk things through. It’s important to be honest and highlight the parts that are most important to you (and obviously read our guide to the awkward parent-budget conversation!) Once you establish what is being contributed, make sure to involve your family in how you will spend their cash and listen to their advice – they are sponsoring you after all!

The Bank Account

We highly recommend that you create a separate joint bank account for all your wedding money. Having it all in one account means you’ll be able to keep an eye on how much you have spent and won’t be as likely to accidentally overspend, or accidentally spend money destined for the wedding on something else. It also helps keep all your payments in one place, so if you need to double check a deposit or instalment that you’re sure you paid, you know exactly where proof will be.

The Bits and Bobs

We’d also highly recommend you take out wedding insurance – then you can relax and let the planning fun begin!

Be prepared for overspending. Either set aside 10% of your total budget for extra bits and bobs. Or just bear in mind, that you will probably need a little extra. Additionally, always remember secret wedding costs that are usually hiding in the small prints of your contracts. And try to pay for everything on debit cards so you don’t start married life in debt!

Lastly, keep a database of all the payments and instalments, alongside the specific dates. This will help to keep you organised and prepared for all the withdrawals from your wedding fund. And there you go – budget chat over. See, it wasn’t that bad, was it…?

Happy Planning!

Jimmy Choo’s Guide to the Wonderful World of Wedding Shoes

Written by Jimmy Choo

Jimmy Choo are a fashion house and regarded as experts in luxury shoes and wedding shoe designs. View Jimmy Choo’s full author bio.

bridebook.co.uk collage of four wedding shoes — Check us out on Pinterest!

Here at Bridebook, the world’s leading free online wedding planner, we pride ourselves in bringing our brides-to-be the advice they need from experts they want – and who better to guide us through the wonderful world of wedding shoes than the one and only Jimmy Choo!

We all know that the wedding dress traditionally gets the most attention pre and post-wedding. However, with Jimmy Choo offering a wardrobe of exquisite styles from traditional elegance to Hollywood glamour the shoes are no longer a second thought.

Jimmy Choo has long been the go-to shoe to accompany brides down the aisle and below is an overview of what makes the Jimmy Choo Bridal offering exceptional.

Already have your shoes sorted? Why not check out Bridebook’s Q & A with legendary dress designer Phillipa Lepley for all the best dress tips, or Jo Malone’s guide to scenting your wedding? Bridebook has every detail covered!

Couture detailing:

2016 is the year to embrace couture detailing in your wedding shoes. Yes, classic is always beautiful and satin will never cease to embody the timeless bridal look. However, who can resist upping the style notch a little? Think an array of ethereal feathers, Swarovski crystals, lace, beading and glitter finishes for the perfect pair of statement, but complimentary, bridal shoes.

bridebook.co.uk-jimmy-choo-couture-details

Loving these Jimmy Choo shoes? Book a bridal consultation through Jimmy Choo’s Bridebook profile!

Personalised shoes:

For brides looking for something exceptional, personalisation goes a long way in turning your wedding shoes into the ultimate keep-sake. Jimmy Choo’s Made-to-Order bridal shoes can incorporate monogram brass initials (perfect for you and your wedding party), or even a number plaque on the sole of each shoe to commemorate the wedding date.

bridebook.co.uk-jimmy-cho-personalised-shoe

Shoe Colouring Service:

What if you find your perfect bridal shoe but it just doesn’t quite go with your dress? Not a problem! Jimmy Choo offers a special shoe re-colouring service to let you match it perfectly to your dress. Even better, re-colouring the shoe after the ceremony ensures the newly-wed can wear the shoes again.

bridebook.co.uk-jimmy-choo-shoe-recolouring

Check out all of the best bridal boutiques in your area using Bridebook’s innovative new supplier search!

New styles:

Finally, you can now capture the essential bridal shoe style without the classic, and sometimes inconvenient, heel. New styles see stunning sandals, pumps and flats stand on their own as an equally as gorgeous option no matter what your shoe preference is.

Want more of Bridebook’s amazing wedding day inspiration?

Book a bridal shoe fitting through Jimmy Choo’s Bridebook profile.
Make sure your dream shoes fit in your budget with Bridebook’s state of the art budget calculator.

Be blown away by Bridebook’s incredible real wedding selection – just like Natasha and Charles’ stunning summer wedding!
Download the app!

The Flying Bride

Bridebook.co.uk is the world’s first free online wedding planner! We spend our days helping thousands of brides plan the wedding day of their dreams! Couples can expertly manage their ideas, budget, checklist and guest list as well as browse every supplier and service they might need, from venues to florists, in one convenient place – and best of all? It’s absolutely free!

bridebook.co.uk-flying-bride-2 — See the video of Chirine flying down the aisle below! @chirine.sabaiti

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No – It’s a Bride! The award for most inventive wedding arrival has to go to newlywed Chirine Sabaiti Mahmassani. As if a wedding set in a beautiful 15th century venue in Florence, Italy didn’t have enough of the wow factor, Chirine took things to a whole new level when she decided to surprise her wedding guests by flying, yes FLYING, into her own wedding using 250 giant helium balloons – all thanks to the incredibly inventive Molecule Show! #superbride Chirine may have to join the likes of Mary Berry, Jimmy Choo and Bobbi Brown in our exclusive line-up of wedding advice experts as our Queen of Aviation because we’ve never seen something like this before! Here at Bridebook.co.uk, we love making the impossible possible so when we saw the Flying Bride, we knew we had to track her down! We had a chat with Chirine to hear more about her spectacular arrival.

bridebook.co.uk-flying-bride-3 — @chirine.sabaiti

Bridebook.co.uk: How did you come up with the idea for your arrival?

I am an extreme sports enthusiast and wanted my entrance to reflect my personality! Initially, I was asking about paragliding in or even sky diving in but due to the tall trees surrounding the venue, we had limitations in doing so. Urging my wedding planner, Silvia from SposiamoVi, to check what options were available, she told me about a show by Molecole where the dancer flies by balloons and sent me a video. Obviously I thought it was beautiful and exciting so I asked her to check if it was possible as it had never been done at a wedding before. I did not do a trial. The first time I did was at the entrance of my wedding which was super exciting for me! My mom was praying while I was up there!

Bridebook.co.uk: How did you feel up there? What were you most nervous about?

It felt unreal! It was so peaceful and all the nerves I had while getting dressed went away as soon as I got in the air. I am most at peace and happy when I fly or do some kind of sport in the air. I honestly was not nervous at all about the entrance or balloons, I was excited!

bridebook.co.uk-flying-bride-6 — Check out ‘Balloon Cam’ below!

Bridebook.co.uk: What was the theme of your wedding and what were your favourite moments and memories?

I wanted it to be chic yet rustic casual and definitely artistic. I wanted every detail of the decor to reflect our personality. My favourite moment was definitely flying at the entrance and seeing my husband and all my loved ones looking up at me in the sky. It was beautiful! So many memories to count – my sister’s speech, walking down the aisle with my dad and sisters, getting ready with my mom, my first dance with my husband and him singing his favourite song by João Gilberto!

Bridebook.co.uk: What would be your advice to other brides planning their weddings?

Have your wedding reflect you and your husband’s personality in some way. It is your day and you should feel on top of the world!

bridebook.co.uk-flying-bride-8 — Follow more of @chirinis adventures on instagram!

Thank you so much to Chirine for sharing her incredible wedding… Check out @chirinis on instagram to catch up on what she’s been up to since her epic wedding! Bridebook.co.uk’s mission is to help you make your dream wedding possible. When you need a break from editing your guest list and finalising your budget using our online tools why not check out some great, slightly more down to earth, tips for wowing your wedding guests from our wedding expert, Bridal Musings. ( Or get some more real wedding inspiration here!)

Are you planning on doing anything as daring as Chirine at your wedding? Let us know in the comments below. We’re on a worldwide search for the greatest wedding ideas and the most incredible suppliers to make thousands of Brides dreams come true! Share your love with #flyingbride!

Balloon Cam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfVaA85HWc0

The Flying Bride

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COkmJOfpHLM

Let Wedding experts like Etsy and Deliciously Ella help make your big day absolutely flawless at Bridebook.co.uk:

Press: For more information please contact press@bridebook.co.uk

Credit:

Photography by Daniele Borghello & Daniele Veneri for Morlotti Studio Venice
Mail: venice@morlotti.com

Wedding planned by Silvia and Alice for Sposiamovi

Mail: hello@sposiamovi.it

Molecole show, Vincenzo D’Ascanio – Floral Design, Marco Abba- Videographer, Il Salviatino – Venue

Introducing David’s Bridal’s Brand New Birmingham Store

Introducing David’s Bridal’s New Birmingham Store…

The Bridebook Team had the incredible opportunity to explore the brand spanking new David’s Bridal store in Birmingham – and my goodness were we blown away! And to show just how excited we are about it, we are hosting a £1000 David’s Bridal giveaway!!

Enter for a chance to win £1000 to spend at any David’s Bridal UK store!

David’s Bridal

For those not in the know, David’s Bridal is an American behemoth in the wedding industry and the largest clothing retailer of wedding and special occasion wear in the WORLD. With exceptionally extensive choice of designs and brands, including collections by Vera Wang and Jenny Packham, David’s Bridal is truly the one-stop-shop for brides. And with the new store in the centre of Birmingham, the midlands is about to experience the wonder that is David’s Bridal for themselves! In the meantime, here’s our own sneak peak into the gorgeous space and incredible services…

The Birmingham Store

The new Birmingham store is a magnificent 15,000 square feet of everything from wedding dresses and head to toe accessories to MOB outfits and hen do swag. While this may sound too good to be true, or even a little daunting, the free flowing layout, 38 spacious changing rooms (yes 38!) and exceptional customer service ensure you feel taken care of from the moment you step in to when you find ‘The One’. And when that moment happens you even get to ring a bell to announce it!

Bridebook.co.uk manequins in wedding dresses — By Dave Evitts

Bridebook.co.uk wedding accessories display — By Dave Evitts

With Birmingham as David’s Bridal’s 4th UK based store (the first three being located in London’s Westfield, Watford and Glasgow) continues to deliver on it’s promises to brides-to-be: to provide a beautiful and welcoming space that has everything you need for your wedding under one roof.

Bridebook.co.uk selection of colourful bridesmaid dresses — By Dave Evitts

So midlands brides, what are you waiting for? Start your wedding shopping adventure at the Birmingham store asap! And in the meantime, enter our exclusive £1000 David’s Bridal giveaway today!!

Keep exploring the Birmingham David’s Bridal store below…

Original Forms of Transport

Blank Canvas Venues

Dress Less Bride

Half Day Weddings

Dessert Wine

Sharing Plates

Virtual Reality – Film Your Wedding in 360

Happy Planning!

Insurance

Leave it to the professionals

Avoid harsh chemicals

Take Care

Happy Planning!

1. Budget

2. Guests

3. Location

4. Seasons

5. Do your research

Happy Planning!

What can be achieved by eating and cooking in the Deliciously Ella way? (What are example dishes for breakfast, snacks, pudding etc)

How far in advance of your wedding should you start your healthy eating regime?

What can you do 9 months in advance?

What can you do 4 months in advance?

What would you recommend eating the night before and the morning of the big day? (to be glowing / no bloating etc)?

Where and when are you getting married? What part of the day are you most excited about?

Happy Planning!

The Classic Bride

The Princess Bride

The Vintage Bride

The Boho Bride

Bonus! Top Tips From Moet & Chandon

Happy Planning!

The Couple

The Families

The Bank Account

The Bits and Bobs

Happy Planning!

Couture detailing:

Personalised shoes:

Shoe Colouring Service:

New styles:

Want more of Bridebook’s amazing wedding day inspiration?

Balloon Cam

The Flying Bride

Introducing David’s Bridal’s New Birmingham Store…

David’s Bridal

The Birmingham Store

Happy shopping ladies!