Wedding Fair at The Wyrebank

Well its wedding fayre season once again and the lovely guys at Wyrebank Banqueting Suite have teamed up with the Lancashire Evening Post to hold their own  fayre on Sunday 25th September from 12-4pm.

For those of you who haven't booked your venue yet, as I've said before, this place is definitely worth a look.  To contact Wyrebank call Stuart on 01995 605455.

One Month In... What July brought

So July was a pretty hectic in the world of Simply Bows and Chair Covers and Lancashire Bride.   Its hard to believe that the blog is now one month old!!  Along with speaking and meeting many local suppliers in the last month, I have also been trying to pencil in a few photo shoots to display on the blog, so keep an eye out for them.  I also had a great response to our week long hen party feature last week.

I was also very fortunate to attend the Brides Up North Tweet Up.  For those of you who read blogs you will already know of Julia and the fantastic Brides Up North blog.  Julia did a fantastic job of arranging an informal 'tweet-up' for North West suppliers at Didsbury House in Manchester.  I was lucky enough to meet some brilliant people in the Wedding Industry and I am sure that a few of us will be working together soon.  Keep an eye on Julias blog to see the pictures!

Simply Bows and Chair Covers have also been chosen to work with Glamour Bridal & Prom (based in Bolton) in their Supplier Showcase once it opens in September.  We will be working alongside other marvellous local suppliers such as Whiskers Cakes, Ladybridge Vintage Cars and Love Bouquets. This supplier showcase will be offered to brides to be in the shop as a wealth of information along with displays for inspiration for your big day.

  We will also be working together to create a different theme every month, with the first theme being An Indian Summer for opening month.  I have so many ideas and can't wait to get started and I will keep you all up to date with the pictures!  I will also be showcasing Debbie from Glamour Bridal and Prom on the blog very soon!

So what does the future hold?  I often feel like I have 2 aliases, a bit like Jekyl and Hyde, as not many people know that Lancashire Bride and Simply Bows and Chair Covers Lancashire are the same person (as i found out at the tweet-up).! For the first month I was busy promoting other fantastic local suppliers but I am aiming to display my work through Simply Bows and Chair Covers via the blog so it can be used as inspiration for wedding planning. And of course I will continue to showcase amazing Lancashire talent.

This month also sees the start of our first weddings. Its been 4 months since I first set up office in Lancashire and August is jam packed with weddings and events.  Me and my little team of helpers will be putting our luxurious chair covers out at some fantastic Lancashire based wedding venues including Stanley House and Barcelo Imperial.  Don't worry, I'll be posting all the photos in due course!


Love Lancashire Bride x

Hen Party Tips

1. Hen Parties are a brilliant time to get to know everyone who is attending the wedding, so make sure the party is sociable.  A class such as cocktail making or cupcake decorating would be ideal.  Revolution Bars run brilliant cocktail parties, that I can personally vouch for, and you get food thrown in too! 
2. Don't get carried away too quickly! Its fine to have a few drinks on the night, but don't let yourself (or the Bride) get too drunk too quickly! You won't be able to remember the night you have spent ages planning.
3. Make sure that the event you are planning is suitable for all your guests.  Theres nothing worse than inviting the bride to be Mother-In-Law to a bar crawl.  Think about having two hen parties- a civilized one and a more racous occasion for the party animals!
4. If you're planning on going abroad for the hen party consider using a company such as Red Seven Leisure. You get a dedicated party expert and each hen can personally manage their monthly installments so that you aren't left in charge of nagging people for money! 
5. Planning the hen party the night before the wedding is a thing of the past. What bride wants to be tired and hungover on their big day?
6. Consider package deals, most companies throw in extras to make it more tempting, suchas champagne on arrival and free entry into clubs.
7. Some companies run special offers where the bride goes free or where larger groups get one place free so do your research.
8. Finally (and most importantly), make sure you find out what the bride wants to do!

Isis Dance

So here is the start of our Hen Party special.  Every day for the next week Lancashire Bride will present you with the latest and unique ideas when it comes to organising your Hen Party, along with a few tips along the way.  And what a lovely way to start the week by introducing this lovely lady.

  

Carol Menzies is the owner of Isis Dance based in Preston, where she offers weekly belly dancing classes and taster sessions suitable for birthday parties and hen partys. 

Far away from the stereotypical sleazy dance that we have all seen in movies, Isis Dance is able to offer an elegant dance that can empower women and offer them the freedom to express themselves. Making it the perfect way to entertain your hens!  Your party will start with a demonstration from Carol and then you and your hens get to give it a whirl.  You'll also get to dress up in the gorgeous hip scarves to make your experience that little bit more authentic!  You could even combine it with an Arabic fancy dress theme.

Isis Dance is also able to offer Belly Dancing entertainment on your wedding day.  And believe me when i say that it is one of the most fun I have ever had at a wedding!.  Its something that even gets your great Aunt and Father-in-Law up on the dancefloor!  "Normally the bride and groom do a first dance and then a few people join in... but then everyone disappears.  My latest venture is to offer taster sessions at wedding receptions because belly dance can be done by anyone from the age of 3 and upwards.  And men can belly dance too- its good fun to see men discover they have hips and they can move them!"

Belly Dancing is also a really good way to get fit for your wedding day. "Brides to be can come to my weekly classes and have a great workout to fantastic music.  It is a low impact excercise but it really does work wonders for the figure.  Despite its name, belly dancing tones up ALL the muscles, it will also help you with poise and posture.  As a teacher it is such a pleasure for me to see students become more confident each week and become proud of their bodies. Not only will you tone-up but through my teaching style you will also gain improvement in your personal and body confidence." 

Prices depend on numbers of participants and travel costs (if outside Preston). I will travel to the venue of your choice.

Hen Parties start from £60 for up to 25 ladies - so that is only £2.40 a head

Wedding parties start from £150

Little Girls Parties from £25

Teenagers and Ladies parties from £50

Carol is offering Lancashire Brides 5% discount for parties if you quote Lancashire Bride when booking.

"If you would like to come and chat about your Hen Party or Wedding Party you can always pop in to St Marys before my lesson anytime from 6.30 to 7.15 before my lesson starts at 7.30 pm on Wednesdays. Or we can meet for a coffee in Preston and have a chat about your special event."

http://isisdance.webs.com

Wyrebank Banqueting Suite

Nestling on the river bank in Garstang (Preston), Wyrebank Banqueting Centre is a far away cry from the big city hotels.  Away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it offers the perfect location for a relaxed wedding in a unique setting.  The pictures really do not do it justice, the location has to be seen to be believed.  As a relatively new building Wyrebank benefits from the natural views and wildlife of the Canal.  Team this with their reputation for their meticulous attention to detail and outstanding customer service,Wyrebank offers a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere that they hope makes your event truly memorable.

Wyrebank can cater for upto 120 seated guests and work withseeral local suppliers to offer you several wedding packages to suit all budgets (bronze, silver and gold).  Please see their wedding brochures for more information.  They are also licensed to hold civil ceremonies.

Their delicious dishes are served and created by Michelin accredited chefs at outside caterers Borough of Lancaster.   "At the Borough we made a promise to all of our customers that the food we provide will be of the best possible quality and always sourced locally from Lancashire and Cumbria, and we extend this promise to our Hog Roast catering service."

http://www.theboroughlancaster.co.uk/

"At the core of our business is our promise to you to serve local produce and, wherever possible, purchase from local suppliers directly. We firmly believe in supporting our nearest and dearest, all our chicken and eggs are free range; our beef is 45 day aged from local farms in the surrounding hills and valleys. We try, wherever possible, to use local and independent suppliers, keeping our carbon footprint low and our local economy buzzing."

 To discuss having your big day at The Wyrebank please call Stuart on 01995 605455 or email stuart@wyrebank-functions.couk.  Alternatively they are holding a Wedding Fayre on Sunday 25th September 2011 from 12pm.

And don't forget their 'Social Networking Event' is being held on Thursday, book you place now!

A Taste of Lancashire: Kev Malone Photography

Its Thursday and that means another one of our fantastic local suppliers will be showcased on the blog.  Today, we have Blackpool based photographer Kev Malone.

Although quite new to wedding photography, Kev has been a photographer for a number of years.  "Previously I have concentrated on portraiture and thought of photographing weddings as a natural progression. I first discovered an interest in photography as a teenager but in the days of film it was a very expensive and specialised hobby that a teenager had no means of supporting."

"I gained a renewed interest after the birth of my first child, Abby, and realised very quickly that I had a natural eye for capturing just the right moment. Within 6 months I was enrolled on my first photographic course, City and Guilds Level 3 in Image Capture from which I gained Distinctions and a number of Highly Commended awards. Since then I have spent countless hours reading, researching and studying other photographers in the hope of finding a style I had an interest in."

Kev soon found that inspiration from Jeff Ascough, who, now based in Lytham, is know worldwide for his documentary style of wedding photography. "I am a huge fan, not just of his photographic style but also of his approach to photographing a wedding and his whole photography ethos."

Bearing this in mind, Kev is able to offer couples something unique and different with his photography style rather than the staged photography that we have been accumstomed to. "I have found myself sadly disillusioned with wedding photography styles of late. There are a lot of web sites that all seem to look the same in terms of photographic style and whereas the images are all ‘nice’ and well exposed, I feel that the market is becoming saturated with ‘ok’ photography. I hope to be recognised for a different style of imagery that concentrates less on directing the day and more on capturing it as it happens. If a bride and groom have spent so much time on organising their day to be just as they want it that they don’t want somebody wading in at the last minute and taking over."


Kev's wedding packages offer full day coverage and engagement shoots can also be organised as an extra. "No wedding day starts with the bride arriving at the church, fully dressed and made up... My style of photography is all about telling a story and I’ve never read a book without an introduction or ending so why should wedding photography be any different?"

When it comes to forced group shots, Kev is happy to do as his clients wish but does prefer to photograph the natural and emotional shots. He tends to find that most people are happy to let him get on things rather than have a structured photography plan. "That said, I don’t turn people away just because they give me a list of shots they want. I fully appreciate the input of couples and actively encourage it. I will always meet up with couples a few weeks before the big day to make sure I have any information I need."

Although Kev Malone is based in Blackpool, distance is not a problem and he will travel further afield. Happy to cover any venue, Kev can also provide portraits of all kinds, from Bump Shoots, through newborn, kids right up to the grandparents....and he has even been known to photograph pets (except snakes or spiders...)!

Kev is offering all our readers 10% off if you quote 'Lancashire Bride' when arranging a meeting with him.

http://www.kevmalonephotography.com/



A Taste of Lancashire: The Cake Whisk

Introducing our 'Taste of Lancashire' feature.  Every Tuesday & Thursday we will be showcasing local wedding suppliers and venues.  If you are interested in featuring on our Taste of Lancashire feature or wish to recommend a supplier or venue then please contact lancashirebride@hotmail.co.uk.

Whisking the cupcake world into a frenzy with her to die for cocktail cupcakes I am pleased to have The Cake Whisk on the blog today.

 Vicki, please introduce yourself and your line of business.

My name is Vicki Ormerod and I am the proud owner of a Wedding and Celebration cake business called The Cake Whisk.

How did you get into making cakes?

I have worked in and around Manchester in management for all of my professional life. During that time I had my own family and making cakes started as a hobby. Over the years I was asked by friends and family to make cakes for them, so I went to college in Oldham to improve my skills. I never tire of making cakes and seeing people’s reactions to them. As the demand grew I knew I had to do something more and set myself up in business early 2010.

So where can we find you? And which areas do you serve?

I am based in Rochdale and cover Rochdale, Saddleworth, Oldham, Bolton, Bury, Lancashire, Cheshire, Manchester and will happily respond to requests anywhere in the North West.

What kind of cakes can you make?

Gosh – just about anything and everything!

From miniature cakes, to cupcakes, to biscuits for favours, to sponge cakes to rich fruit cakes, and everything in between. Basically, the bride and groom of today are very discerning and know that they want to have cake that not only looks good, but tastes good too – and also caters for the many varying tastes of their wedding guests. If that means making a 5 tier wedding cake with each tier a different recipe, I will do it.

In recent weeks I was asked to make a vegetarian cake for a Muslim wedding. It was a multi layered, fresh fruit, fresh cream and fresh made vanilla custard cake which was then covered in white chocolate. It all had to be made on the day because of the fresh fruit and dairy. Challenging but great fun.

We love the idea of ‘A Sonnet to Cupcakes!’ (Please see first picture) How did this come about?

I can make great cakes, but am completely rubbish at taking photographs of them! I asked Saddleworth based portrait and wedding photographer Jude Gidney to help me out. And her pictures are amazing. When she was doing what photographers do back at her studio after the shoot, she had a small competition on her website for a poem that she could incorporate into one of the pictures – and that is where the sonnet came from. I didn’t know that this was what Jude had done until she unveiled my new portfolio, so it was a lovely surprise. The author ‘Lara’ (aka Rachel) was duly rewarded with 2 large boxes of Limoncello Cupcakes for her works.

Do you have a favourite cake that you have made?

Oh heck! This is one of the worst questions you could ask me – I LOVE all of my cakes and I usually love the one that I am doing at the time more than any of the others. I am very proud of Elizabeth as the detail is so intricate, yet she can be dressed up with jewels and formal flowers for a more formal wedding, or shabby chic roses and old lace for a contemporary and relaxed vintage look. And she is proving to be very popular for bookings I have taken for next year…

 

There is also Jeni, a 5 tier rich fruit cake that was delivered to Mitton Hall in Whalley in December in several inches of snow and -10C. Because of the delicate snowflakes that extended over the edge of the cake, it could only be delivered in 2 boxes instead of 5 separate ones. So it was very heavy and there was always the chance of damage. We lost about 6 snowflakes which I very easily replaced with spares and nobody knew any different. The porcelain-like flowers and snowflakes on this cake made it very special and one that will remain one of my favourites.

We see that you’ve started making ‘cocktail cupcakes.’ What exactly are these?

Again, I was responding to what my clients have asked for. The cupcakes are baked using the liqueur or spirit that is in the recipe. So Limoncello Cupcakes are baked using that lemon liqueur, and the frosting has a wee bit of the liqueur added too. They are very tasty and very tasteful, they aren’t intended to be ‘boozy’ but they are definitely for the grown-ups. When I have been asked to do some as part of a mixed batch of cupcakes, I carefully colour code them so that guests know which ones to avoid for the non-drinkers and children.

Where can our readers meet you? And do you have a website?

This year so far, I am exhibiting at:

The Broadfield Hotel, Rochdale 17^th July

Bolton School, Bolton 2^nd October

The White Hart, Saddleworth 16^th October

The Royal Toby, Rochdale 13^th November

Please keep checking my website through as I may add more dates. I always bring plenty of different samples along…

You can find me on:

Facebook Thecake Whisk

Twitter chiefwhisk

And my website:

http://www.thecakewhisk.co.uk/

If you would like to come and have a brew and some samples and a chat about your wedding cake please email me on:

vicki@thecakewhisk.co.uk or you can call me on: 01706 346550

A Taste Of Whats To Come...

Tomorrow on the blog we will be starting our 'Taste of Lancashire' feature.  Every Tuesday and Thursday we will be featuring the best venues and the best suppliers that our county has to offer!

Starting with this little beauty tomorrow...

Make sure you check out the blog tomorrow to find out more!

If you're a venue or supplier who wants to feature on Lancashire Bride please email lancashirebride@hotmail.co.uk.

Poppy Appeal

When I put out a request for photographers to send me their real life brides to feature on the blog, David Barry came straight back to me with these.  I instantly wanted these to feature on the launch as I believe they represent Lancashire well.  The scenery, the colours and even the weather are so typical and the bride looks stunning too!

Rebecca Hodgson and Jason Mahrous from Rossendale got married on Saturday 11th June.  As well as using their stunning venue, Stirk House in Gisburn, as a backdrop the couple and David decided to take a trip to the River Ribble and the historic Sawley Abbey to take advantage of the luscious scenery to frame their wedding photos. As you can see there is something about a wedding and historic ruins that make perfect pictures!

The following photos are taken on the roundabout on the A59 Clitheroe outside McDonalds!  David spontaneously suggested that the poppies would make wonderful and quirky photos, and so they did...

In fact, the whole scene (picture a photographer with a newly wedded couple pulled over by a roundabout) seemed so unusual that a passerby stopped thinking they had broken down.  After finding that this wasn't the case, the lady called Radio Lancashire to inform them of the great idea, making the wedding regional news!

No poppies were harmed in the making of this wedding album!  Thanks to Jason, Rebecca and David Barry Photgraphy for letting me use these pictures.

A Few Of My Favourite Things

The images below are just a few of the things that encouragedand inspired me to start this blog.  From the landscapes and scenery to the creativity and skills amongst our suppliers, here are a few of my favourite (Lancashire) things...

Credits: Bride in wellies by Katy Lunsford Photography, The Lancashire Hotpots, couple holding hands at Rivington by Hannah Dornford-May Photography, invitation from hobbycraft.co.uk, chair covers by Simply Bows and Chair Covers, table set-up from Martha Stewart, bride with red rose bouquet from weddingdresses4love.co.uk, cupcakes by crumbsanddoilies.co.uk, cheese cake by Proctors Cheeses, a wedded couple on a typical Lancashire day by Nicola Grimshaw-Mitchell Photography, Southport Pier from myhospitality.com, Blackpool Tower from independent.co.uk


WHY KEEP IT LOCAL?

Using local suppliers can work in both the customer and the suppliers favour.  Why order your jewerelly over the internet from China when we have award winning designers right here in Lancashire?  It may appear cheaper at first glance but add on the postage and packaging costs and it often ends up more expensive. Even using suppliers in the bordering counties could end up more expensive.  Most suppliers offer free delivery within a certain distance so do your research and benefit from using local suppliers.  And with some suppliers charging by the mile the final price could end up pretty hefty!  With the average wedding costing £22,858 (according to Conde Naste Publications) why wouldn't you want to put that money back into your economy by supporting you local suppliers.

 And don't get me started on the quality!  Remember, that when you purchase items over the internet you never actually see the product so you could end up disappointed.  Those bridesmaids dresses that you ordered via Ebay may turn up and be the completely wrong shade of purple.  Do you really want to take risks on the biggest day of your life?

The experience local suppliers have within your venues can be second to none.  Ask your venues who their recommended suppliers are.  Remember, they are recommended for a reason.  Not just for their fantastic work but also for their knowledge of the venue.  A local wedding photographer will know the best places to shoot and where the best light can be found.  A local chair cover specialist will know the venues decor and can advise you on your colour scheme and they will already know the chair sizes to get the right fit of cover.  Their expertise is extensive and they are more than happy to share it with you.

After discussing all the technical points of using local suppliers, we must not forget to mention that Lancashire is full of talent.  This is seen in splendour at Wedding Fayres and in the local Wedding Magazines.  There are plenty of Wedding Fayres in the county so get out there and discover Lancashires talent! And not forgetting the stunning venues and scenery that we have in The Ribble Valley and Rivington and the picture perfect settings in Lytham and Southport.

As you can tell, I am all for using local suppliers (hence the blog!).  Lancashire Bride aims to promote local suppliers and create a one stop stop for those brides getting married in Lancashire.  By endorsing our Lancashire suppliers we hope to be able to showcase the best on offer so our Brides needn't look anywhere else!  And to give you brides a bit of inspiration when it comes to organising your own weddings, we'll also be blogging supplier shoots and real life weddings.

Watch this space!