For an amazing beach honeymoon in December, head for Jamaica in the Caribbean for beaches, mountains and waterfalls!  For a stay in a 4 star boutique style hotel, all inclusive basis for 7 nights from only £1310.00 per person including flights and transfer to the resort.

Honeymoon Jamaica

To go somewhere completely different, then give Mexico a thought.  Explore the ancient sites of temples and pyramids that date back over 2000 years, as well as soaking up the sun on Mexico’s Caribbean beaches.  Stay at a 3.5 star resort on an all inclusive basis for 7 nights from only £1317.00 per person including flights and transfers.

Honeymoon Mexico

For an exciting city break honeymoon for December, then visit the many markets, temples and royal palaces of Phnom Penh in Cambodia.  Here you can stay at a 5 star hotel on a bed & breakfast basis for 7 nights from only £1600.00 per person including all flights and transfers.

Honeymoon Cambodia

Please note:  All offers shown are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed until time of booking.

 And it doesn’t stop there with honeymoons!  I also organise weddings abroad as well as planning Stag and Hen trips away!  For the girls, there are some great Spa weekend offers from just £96.50 per person including room and breakfast, a 30min treatment and use of the hotel’s leisure facilities.

 Looking after all your travel needs and specialising in designing honeymoons around your budget, please get in touch – Suzanne Asbury, Designer Travel Ltd, Chapel House, New Mills, Ladock on 01726 883868 or email me at suzanne@designertravel.co.uk.  Also follow me on Twitter @SuzanneAsbury.

Wall and ceiling drapings and effective lighting will transform your venue into a world of wonderous enchantment.  Richard from Your Top Table, set to work in draping the marquee and lining it with fairy lights, uplighters and spot lights.  This step is essential in creating a soft, layered look and the lighting is the most crucial part of this theme.

www.yourtoptable.co.uk

Phillip from Phillip Taylor Corps floristy  used exotic orchids, dusty hydrangeas, dramatic foliage like silver eucalyptus together with painted and natural twigs in tall conical vases to create a winter woodland effect.

www.taylorcorps.com

The name place cards, designed by Ananya cards, were snowflake shaped and handfinished with glitter and diamonte rhinestones.  They were cut to sit on the wine glasses which created a floating effect.

www.ananyacards.com

Last, but not least, I added the Louis Ghost chairs, which can be hired from Elle at Inspire Hire.  They chairs look like they’re made out of ice and finished the look off perfectly.

www.inspire-hire.co.uk

The result,  a romantic, sophisticated Winter Wonderland look with lots of shimmer and sparkle, soft colours, exotic flowers and strategically placed lighting to give a dramatic effect – an escape into fantasy land!

an enchanted place setting

Winter wedding Wonderland

 We can design, create and style any theme for your wedding so get in touch to see what we can do for you. www.aliberryweddings.co.uk

Photography: all gorgeous images taken by leading photographer Sarah of www.greenphotographic.com

Venue: www.the-olive-grove.co.uk

My summer is not complete without a glass (or two) of refreshing Pimms so imagine my sheer delight when I recently discovered Pimms No 3 Winter.  A warm, brandy based version of the favourite summer cocktail, made with apple juice, cinnamon & orange zest.  Yum!

Nobody can resist a Bailey’s or Tia Maria Coffee. Warm, comforting and moreish! Espresso, Baileys and frothy milk is all you need.

What would winter be without hot chocolate? Jazz up with cream, marshmallows or cinammon sticks.  A shot of Baileys won’t cause any harm

Mulled wine is an aromatic winter classic. Red Wine, cinnamon, star anise, orange zest, sugar and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Enjoy!

I’ve been looking at honeymoon destinations for the month of November to help give ideas as to where the best places are to go around the world and they are as follows:

 For a beach honeymoon – Barbados.  Barbados has a wonderful climate, great beaches and quality restaurants, as well as lively nightlife in the south of the island. The palm-fringed white sand beaches provide a relaxing environment to enjoy spending time together.

Recommendation: Stay 14 nights at the Mango Bay Resort on an all inclusive basis in a superior room.  Prices from £2377.00 per person.

For a city based honeymoon – New York.  Delve into New York’s energy, from theatres and shopping to the famous sights – Fifth Avenue, Broadway, Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Central Park and Wall Street. You’ll soon fall in love with the Big Apple.

Recommendation: Stay 7 nights at the Waldorf Astoria on a room only basis in a deluxe double room.  Prices from £1164.00 per person.

For something a bit different- Canadian Rockies.  The Canadian Rockies are legendary for their towering mountains, majestic glaciers, raging rivers and turquoise lakes – all ready to leave you breathless. You can also spend time doing exhilarating activities, from hiking to skiing.

Recommendation:  Take memorable journey on the Rocky Mountaineer, possibly one of the world’s most spectacular rail adventures.  Tour duration is 6 nights departing Calgary with prices from £1255.00 per person.

 Looking after all your travel needs and specialising in designing honeymoons around your budget, please get in touch – Suzanne Asbury, 01726 883868 or email me at suzanne@designertravel.co.uk.  Also follow me on Twitter @SuzanneAsbury.

Autumn colour scheme

Image Credits: Style me pretty, Rock my wedding

Elaine is sincere, warm and welcoming and you get a sense that she is genuinely enthusiastic about every single Bride who walks through her doors. Her bridal house exudes style and elegance, with great attention to detail, and I highly recommend that you make County Cream your first point of call when selecting a wedding dress.  You will not be disappointed!

How did you end up owning County Cream Bridal House?
I was an advertising consultant working for Brides in Cornwall magazine and looked after County Cream’s advertising. It came up in conversation that Carol was thinking to retire. I felt the time was right personally for a new challenge! Carol and I had long chats and got on really well. Carol encouraged me that I had what it took to take over and so I did!

 What motivates you the most?
I’m quite ambitious and my motivation is to strive to be the best in the industry in Cornwall. I am motivated  by the brides who walk away feeling inspired by their experience and pass their experience on to new potential brides.

Trend prediction for wedding dresses in 2012?
Having visited the British Bridal Exhibition at Harrogate in September key looks coming through are big skirts, organza overlays, more straps, sleeves and lace.

Which 2012 collections are you loving?
Romantica of Devon. Looking for a new stockist at Harrogate Romantica ticked all the boxes. Their collection  was a real mix of all the key looks. Some designers collections can look very samey but Romantica produced a collection of dresses that all differed in style from dress to dress. The quality in the material is there and the price point that Brides are requesting is perfect. I’m looking forward to 11 of their dresses arriving in November.

How would you advise a Bride to personalise her wedding day look?
I would advise a bride to pick a dress that reflects their personality as opposed to personalising the actual dress. So if they like lots of sparkle and bling go for that in your dress choice, if you like plain and simple look for that in the design. Any personal touches could come through in accessories such as a quirky pair of shoes.

Which iconic bride would you love to dress?
Grace Kelly. She was so effortlessly stylish and her wedding dress emulated everything about her. Classy tasteful and elegant. Not surprisingly there were similarities between Grace’s dress and Kate Middleton’s earlier this year.

What do you love about working within the wedding industry?
No two days are the same here as the industry is ever changing.  As styles change it brings diversity with it. This keeps the boutique fresh and keeps you motivated.  Also the relationships you develop with the bride. You get to know a bride sometimes over an 18 month period and you really feel a big part of their special day.

Essential item for a Bride on her wedding day?
Tissues and perfume!

Favourite cocktail?
I’m more of a champagne girl!

Favourite Venue?
Boconnoc House Lostwithiel Its stunning grandeur, the sprawling grounds, its own church and warm welcome from the Fortesques would make any bride feel like a real princess.

Favourite designer and why?
I love Madeline Isaac James the silks she uses, the boned corset tops and full skirts.

Favourite look for Bridesmaids?
A simple dress to not distract from the bride, but to complement. You want all the bridesmaids to feel comfortable. We have a new range by twobirds bridesmaids which allows you to buy one dress but create 15 different looks. www.twobirdsbridesmaid.co.uk They are really innovative.

What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
County Cream’s opening night it was such a proud moment being surrounded by friends and family and others in the bridal industry who had all helped to create what will be our new future.

Veil or no veil…
Veil it completes the look for me and if anyone is going to get emotional it’s when the veil goes on!

What can’t you live without?
A cup of tea, friends and family.

What can we expect from County Cream in the future….
We intend to grow and grow add new names to the boutique and build on our reputation for offering gorgeous dresses for all brides to be and to make each and every girl feel special.

To book an appointment, please contact Elaine on

info@countycreambridalhouse.co.uk; Tel: 01872262271; www.countycreambridalhouse.co.uk

Oscar De La Renta

Style – Choose a style that works best for your body type and which hides or improves your defects.  You want a style which is flattering, complimentary and non-fuss (you do not want to be pulling your dress up all day). Stay open-minded and try on as many different styles for your body type as you can.  Think about length, colour and the right fabric for the time of season.  The 5 most popular styles are:

• A-Line or Princess: Fitted in the body, then flows out toward the ground
• Ball Gown: Fitted in the body with a full skirt
• Mermaid: Contours the body from the chest to knee, then flows to hem.
• Sheath or Column: Straight, form-fitted from the shoulders to the hem,
• Empire: Raised waist line sits below the bust. Dress flows down to hem
• 

Appointments – Take your Mum or bridesmaid along with you for second opinions but make sure that they will be objective. Don’t go to more than 3 or 4 shops or confusion and indecision sets in.  Research the Bridal stores that you will be visiting to make sure that they have a variety styles and designers in your budget.  Saturday is the most popular day for appointments so if you are able, book one during the week as you won’t feel rushed or pressured.

Jenny Packham

Jasper Conran

Extra costs – Find out the cost of alterations. You might need to have the hem taken up or the dress taken in slightly if you lose weight.  Get quotes for alterations beforehand so that you can budget for them.  Ask about costs for cleaning, mending and storing the dress after the Wedding. 

Bruce Oldfield

We started off the evening with a speed networking session.  I don’t think that the anyone was prepared for what this entailed but this was definitely the most fun part of the evening.  It was also a great ice breaker and a fantastic way for businesses to introduce themselves to the people behind Facebook, Twitter and websites.  It was great to look around the room and see people smiling, chatting and buzzing with enthusiam.

Rebecca Matthews and Brendan Sleeman of WED Magazine followed this with a very insightful presentation on their take on the 2011 Wedding season as well as trends for 2012.  They also gave some really useful tips and advice with marketing and advertising for businesses to take forward.   I think that everyone learned something new and took away a new piece of information to apply to their own individual businesses.

Michelle Holmes, Business Growth advisor gave a compelling presentation on Social media and why businesses simply can no longer afford to ignore the growth of Facebook, Twitter and Google +.  She also gave some amazing tips on how to use these in business.  Every single business in the room gained a nugget of new information to help grow their businesses using social media.

The evening was filmed by Cornwall Channel.  Cornwall Channel and Ali Berry Weddings have joined forces and will be rolling out CORNWALL WEDDING TV over the course of October.  This will be a platform for businesses to advertise and market themselves using the power of video.  Cornwall Wedding TV will also be producing quarterly programmes which will be an informative piece helping couples who are getting married in Cornwall.

By the time I got home, there were already emails, tweets and facebook messages asking  me to organise another such event.  So, if you missed out this time, the next one is provisionally booked for early Feb!

Here are some comments on the evening:

I just wanted to thank you so much for organising this event and inviting me along. I got so much from the evening and it has left me feeling buzzing with enthusiasm it was so professionally executed which I felt was also reflected by those in attendance who are I feel the best in their fields in the industry. Although I do social network Michelle showed me just how much I can improve! Both you and Michelle were fantastic thank you once again. I wil be acting on the advice!
Kind Regards
Elaine Rawlings, County Cream Bridal House

What a great evening, thank you so much. I feel so inspired and enthusiastic again which says a lot after a long, busy summer! WED were brilliant and so was Michelle. The speed networking idea was genius and such a perfect way to break the ice. Please, please do it again, now that we’ve all met I can see so many creative ideas and collaborations happening just through sharing experiences and ideas. Thanks again. Georgie Kirby, The Big Beautiful Bunting Co.

thank you for inviting me to the networking evening last night. I made some very promising contacts and feel that there is now a good chance of doing some work in Cornwall, which would be brilliant. I’m sure everyone attending would agree that last night was a resounding success. You obviously worked very hard to put it together and your efforts certainly paid off. I look forward to the next one.  With kind regards, Oliver Warsaw, Vitali Music

venue: www.harveys-wharf.co.uk

Photography: www.andreamichelphotography.co.uk

Guest speakers: www.wedmagazine.co.uk, www.michelleholmes.co.uk

Goody bags were sponsored by: www.itsawrapcornwall.co.uk , www.trevarnoskincare.co.uk

Videography: www.cornwallchannel.co.uk/cornwallweddingtv

Harvey’s bar & brasserie is located on the waterfront of Falmouth offering the finest dining location in Falmouth with unrivalled views of the harbor.

Harvey’s are passionate about putting customers first with a genuine dedication to providing the best quality of food and service.  Nothing that I asked was too much for Leila and her team.  They went out of their way to accommodate all my needs and requirements.  Needless to say, the feedback from all who attended the networking evening was all positive and the evening was a resounding success.

The thoughtfully crafted menu offers honest, simple food, sourced from local suppliers and freshly cooked to order.  For example, the fish is sourced daily from dayboats out of Newlyn and Looe.

Harvey’s have created a modern Brasserie style restaurant with a fabulous modern bar serving cocktails and wines from all over the world with over 60 bins available, there is something to suit everyone and a few new ones to enjoy.

The entire team are dedicated to excellence and service.  Whatever the occasion, Harvey’s will not disappoint.

Harvey’s are able to cater for wedding parties of 150 guests plus room for dancing and a DJ/Band.  Prices start from £22 per head for a 3 course meal, based on a minimum of 80 guests. There is no fee to hire the restaurant which is a fabulous bonus.  Add to this the amazing harbor views, and Harvey’s is undoubtedly,  one of the finest locations in Falmouth for your wedding.

To book, please contact 01326 314 351 or email info@harveyswharf.com or visit www.harveys-wharf.co.uk

 For example, I am booking some fantastic weekend deals that are on for London and taking in a West End show at the theatre, overnight Spa breaks around the country and UK city breaks for excellent Christmas shopping opportunities.  (Yes, I know it is too early to think about Christmas in October!!).

Outside of our country, I have looked at where the very best places are to visit around the world in October for honeymoons:

For a beach honeymoon– Sri Lanka.  This teardrop shaped island at the foot of India is a captivating blend of ancient cities, gigantic temples, tea plantations, jungle and beaches. See the highlights on a cultural tour, relax on a beach escape or combine the two.

Honeymoon Sri Lanka

For a city trip – Luxor, Egypt.   Luxor offers amazing sightseeing on the open-air stage of the Nile’s west bank. Wander through the local streets, explore the famous temples or look for bargains in the bazaars. Egypt also has year-round sunshine.

Honeymoon Luxor, Egypt

Something a bit different – The Great Barrier Reef, Australia.  The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s most diverse coral system and one of the world’s greatest natural features. Peaceful, pristine and precious, the Barrier Reef islands are dedicated to total relaxation and escapism.

Honeymoon Great Barrier Reef

Looking after all your travel needs and specialising in designing honeymoons around your budget, please get in touch – Suzanne Asbury, Designer Travel Ltd, Chapel House, New Mills, Ladock on 01726 883868 or email me at suzanne@designertravel.co.uk.  Company’s ABTA number: L318X, ATOL number: 5534.

 Designer Travel is a division of Hays Travel Ltd. 25 Vine Place, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear.  Company Reg. No. 1990682.