Sneak Preview: Tamara & Nathaniel's Wedding at Lillibrooke Manor

Look out for more pictures and details from Tamara and Nathaniel's fantastic wedding coming soon!

Photo credit: www.studiorouge.co.uk

Related posts:

Behind the Scenes: Lillibrooke Manor Wedding

Real Wedding: Nik and Lisa at The Dairy, Waddesdon Manor

We have been looking forward to sharing the gorgeous pictures from Lisa and Nik’s wedding, they celebrated their marriage in May at The Dairy, Waddesdon Manor near Aylesbury. This stylish wedding was shot by Stuart Bebb photography. Stuart and his assistant captured photos from slightly different views which gave Lisa and Nik a wide variety of photos. Down to Earth Flowers did an unbelievable job with all of the floral arrangements.

Whilst the guests were making their way to The Dairy, Lisa and Nik had some romantic secluded shots taken in the vast grounds, the venue is pretty amazing with woodland areas and waterfalls.

Don’t the tables look pretty with these little vase name holders from Cox & Cox, they were accompanied with small bottles of Prada perfume for the girls favours and miniature bottles of Port for the guys. The band, Limited Edition, kept everyone dancing all night playing songs from Lady Gaga to Dianna Ross. We were so impressed we have already booked them for another clients wedding next summer.

Congratulations Lisa and Nik, thanks so much for letting us post your pretty day! www.sugarblossom.co.uk

Behind the Scenes: Lillibrooke Manor Wedding, Maidenhead

Yesterday we had the pleasure of co-ordinating Tamara and Nathaniel's wedding at St Lukes Church and Lillibrooke Manor in Maidenhead.

It was fantastic to work with them to help plan their day, they are a lovely couple and had so many wonderfully unique ideas to incorporate into their wedding.

This video shows a small part of Janet and I setting up in the morning. The day began with an hour of steaming open freeze dried peony heads- fiddly, but worth it when you can not rely on fresh ones being available, they looked beautiful on the arrival drink table.

We moved on to the church to sweep away debris blown in and move papers from the doorway, before organising the confetti, spare readings, reserved seats and order of services.

The next stop was displaying road signs to direct guests to the remote manor house, after our sat nav directed us the wrong way up a one way system on the first visit we decided this was a must!

We then ran through some checks with the catering company, resulting in a quick dash to buy the missing raspberries needed for the arrival drinks and locating the lost desserts still en-route from London.

Janet and I then unloaded the decorations we had been storing and set to work on decorating the barn with many items that reflected their personalities and Zimbabwean roots. This included scattering the national flower, Gloriosa, on the top table, name settings in elephant favours, an elephant cake topper, safari animal table names, table plan, guest book, card box, wine with personalised labels, gifts under the top table, child seating, toys and much more.

The DJ arrived early to build his equipment, after showing him the space we tested the back up music we had for the wedding breakfast and the first/second dance songs.

The courtyard was the next location to organise the garden games, throws, flowers, arrival drinks and the string trio, but moments before the Routemaster bus full of guests pulled up the rain started to fall so a quick turn around and the set up was duplicated inside the adjoining small barn.

This was all simply the preparation, look out for our next post on the wedding celebrations. We can not wait to share some of the photos with you and less wobbly professional video footage, including all of the great supplier details who all made the day so special.

Easy tool to create your seating plan

Simply register with www.marthastewartweddings.com to access the online seating chart tool, you add your room dimensions then start populating with tables and names to drag and move around to get the ideal arrangement. Easy peasy!

Hannah & Pauls Easter Wedding: Wokefield Park, Reading

This Easter weekend we had the pleasure of working with a lovely couple, Hannah and Paul, for their wedding at Wokefield Park in Mortimer, Reading.

Once they are back from their honeymoon in Thailand we shall look forward to sharing some professional pictures and details of their day.

They incorporated so many personal touches into their wedding and were incredibley well organised, even taking the time to write us a thank you note in the midst of all the wedding mania….

“Thank you so much for all of your support and assistance in the run up to our wedding. You have been fantastic ever since we met you... I know our guests will love everything you have done...”

Venue Spotlight: Sir Christopher Wren's House, Windsor

Last Saturday and Sunday we planned and co-ordinated a full weekend of celebrations in Windsor for a 60th birthday- from a traditional afternoon tea with a view of the castle to a show at the Royal Theatre, followed by a Thai feast and drinks in a traditional English bar.

The grand finale of the festivities was dining for twenty five at Sir Christopher Wren’s House in their pavilion room. This beautiful space included a bar and relaxed seating area, with the circular dining room having the most amazing views right on the River Thames with glass dome ceiling too- wonderfully light and airy.

The staff were polite and professional, the food was beautifully presented and being located next to Eton Bridge only metres from the castle makes the venue equally well suited to a wedding.

Emma Vinters, Sales & Marketing Manager ,comments "Our location by the River Thames, makes the hotel an ideal setting for a wedding. Brides often choose to arrive in style aboard our very own private boat ‘Larus‘ which adds a classic touch to their special day."

This room is licensed for civil ceremonies and can seat 70 ceremony guests or 40 dinner guests.

Click here for details of SugarBlossoms wedding planning and co-ordination services and click here to vist the hotels website

Photo credits: SugarBlossom's own

Venue spotlight: Brockhurst, near Newbury in Berkshire

We co-ordinated Nicola and Chris’s perfect wedding day at Brockhurst and it truly is a gem of a venue.

As a boarding school it is only available during school holidays limiting the number of weddings the house hosts, maintaining an air of exclusivity for your day.

Brockhurst is licensed for both civil marriages and partnership ceremonies and also has a beautiful ancient church in the grounds just steps away from the house.

The fairytale setting is complete with stained glass windows, a huge oak staircase, open fires, a high beamed ceiling, chandeliers and outside sixty acres of sweeping lawns with a lake.

At a glance:

• Civil Licence - 120
• Indoor Dining Capacity - 116
• Marquee Dining Capacity – 200
• Address- Hermitage, Newbury, Berkshire, RG18 9UL
• Telephone- 01244 571208

Look out for Nicola and Chri’s wedding photos which will be posted here soon.

Photo credits: SugarBlossom's own

Real Wedding: Simon & Lisa at The Elvetham

Simon and Lisa had a beautiful winter wedding at the Elvetham. Lisa looked absolutely stunning in her detailed lace dress and every bit the glowing bride. The venue was built in the late 1900’s and had the original ornate fireplaces lit all day to keep everyone warm, creating a cosy setting combined with the lighting from the scattered candles and candelabra. Lisa has spent two years planning her day and we developed a strong relationship ensuring everything ran smoothly. On the day we worked closely with the suppliers to meet timings and displayed all of her carefully considered details- from the seating chart for the ceremony, homemade cracker favours (instructions to make them here), gift wishing well, festive music in each room and much more leaving them to relax and have a fabulous day.

Photo credits:

1. SugarBlossom

2.www.theelvetham.co.uk

Venue Spotlight- Cliveden House

Once the exclusive haunt of the rich and famous, Cliveden House is now available as an impressive and romantic setting for your wedding.

We approached the 19th-century house along the half-mile-long drive through spectacular parkland and were shown into the ornate Great Hall, immediately greeted by an abundance of photo opportunities that continued throughout the house with a sweeping oak staircase, classic art, antiques and vast fireplaces.

As well as the beauty of the house, the history and intrigue adds to its appeal- it was the dazzling hub of high society, home to the ‘Astors' and notoriously linked to the 'Profumo Affair'. In the elaborate setting your guests certainly will feel like the movie stars and politicians that had celebrated there in the past (Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, Teddy Roosevelt and George Bernard Shaw were all guests).

Their welcoming and flexible team showed us around the house explaining how each room can be transformed to suit each wedding parties needs. We then had the opportunity to explore some of the 376 acre estate, the magnificent formal gardens overlook the River Thames, and discovered romantic hideaways including the Fountain of Love and the Secret Garden.

The Events Coordinator comments; “We can work very closely with wedding planners to create the day the couple are dreaming about- whether that involves arriving by limousine, a helicopter or even a private jet; we can cater for every demand and wish.” There are a range of options within the house for your ceremony or reception; including Spring Cottage, a secluded retreat of next to the Thames, the exclusive use of the house or a reception in any of the private dining rooms.

Click here for more information. Cliveden, Taplow, Berkshire, SL6 0JF Pictures all provided by Cliveden House.

Venue Spotlight- Dorney Court, Nr Windsor

Near Windsor is Dorney Court, a rustic venue full of charm, we discovered this hidden gem recently and look forward to working with the team there soon.

The house is a Grade I listed building and designated as being of outstanding architectural and historical interest. Dorney Court has always been the manor house of Dorney village and was even recorded in the Doomsday Book.

The history of the manor house, coupled with contemporary feel of the conservatory marquee creates a wonderful backdrop. Not only that, but the venue and grounds are exclusive to you on your special day, and the wedding team is flexible in allowing us to develop your day with few restrictions.

Aimée Spencer, Project Manager adds: "The house is in an ideal location for a romantic rural church wedding. The church is within the beautiful landscaped grounds, only a short stroll away from a reception in The Conservatory marquee".

Click here for more information

Court Lane, Dorney, Nr Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 6QP

All images from www.dorneyevents.co.uk

Bella Barcelona- A Mediterranean Wedding

Having just returned from coordinating a client exhibition in Barcelona, I am full of love for the city. The event was held at the base of a castle, the perfect setting for romantic visions of wonderful Spanish weddings in the city or local villages. The photo opportunities are limitless, the city is surrounded by mountains and the sea combined with Gaudi's architecture you will be spoilt for creative backdrops. Gastronomically you and your guests will be in for a treat. Catalans take their love of Mediterranean food and wine very seriously, and the area is famed for producing the best sparkling wine ¨Cava¨ in Spain.

These images highlight just some of the gorgeous locations- you could get married in the old rooms of the Capuchin monks, have an outdoor ceremony with wonderful views, in a stylish art deco hotel or aboard a yacht.

The region is very accessible, with its three airports (Barcelona, Girona & Reus) serviced by many airlines. There are also an enormous number and variety of accommodation options, particularly apartment hire to make your wedding an affordable experience for you and all your guests.

P.s… You will need: application to marry form, certificate of no impediment, certified translations of all required documents, official declaration stating where you reside and a consular registration certificate. Residency requirement is 21 days if non-catholic and nonresident. The above information is for guidance only and should not be regarded as legal advice. It is important that you verify all information with the local marriage license office before making any wedding or travel plans.

Picture credits:

1. Monastery El Convent in Blanes http://www.el-convent.com/

2. Gaudi collage by Fernanda Ferreira, Flickr

3. Capella de l'Hospital de Sant Pere http://www.poblesdecatalunya.cat/

4. Ayre Hotel Gran Via http://www.ayrehoteles.com/

The Church of England Relaxes Wedding Law

Today’s new law makes it much easier to pick your ceremony venue if you were considering an Anglican church. Previously, the only way you could get married in a church was if you attended regularly, lived in the parish or applied for a special license. From today under the new rules you can marry in a church if:

1. Either of you were baptized or prepared for confirmation there
2. Either of you has lived in the parish for six months
3. Either of you has regularly worshipped in the parish for six months
4. Either of your parents has lived in the parish for six months during your lifetime
5. Either of your parents has regularly worshipped there for six months in your lifetime
6. Either of your parents or grandparents were married there

There are over 16,000 Church of England venues to pick from so this really is an exciting step forward on finding your prefect ceremony location. For any further help on finding your venue email us at enquiries@sugarblossom.co.uk

Dine in the Sky

A mini blog today to show you this fun idea for an engagement party meal, or even your wedding breakfast! Celebrate your nuptials high in the sky and you will literally feel like you are floating on air! Check out www.dinnerinthesky.com

Images from dinnerinthesky.com