UK Gay Weddings FAQ

With the new UK Civil Partnership act taking effect as of 21st December 2005, I thought I would share this article with you regarding civil partnerships.

UK Gay Weddings FAQ
By Frankie Simmonds

What is civil partnership?

Civil Partnership is a new legal relationship, giving two people of the same sex similar rights to married couples. These rights and responsibilities include:

• A duty to provide reasonable maintenance for your civil partner and any children of the family
• Ability to apply for parental responsibility for your civil partner’s child
• Equitable treatment for assessment of child support, life assurance, tax, employment and pension benefits
• Recognition under intestacy rules
• Recognition for immigration and nationality purposes
• Next of kin rights

Who is eligible?

The couple must both be of the same sex, be 16 years of age or older, not already be in a civil partnership or marriage and not be related to each other. In England, Northern Ireland and Wales, 16 and 17 year olds will need their parents’ consent. In Scotland, they won’t.

How do you register?

To register a civil partnership, you must first give formal notice to your local authority. You’ll be able to do this from December 5, but some authorities (such as Brighton and Hove, Liverpool, Sheffield) are already taking provisional bookings.

Where can I register my civil partnership?

Anywhere already approved for marriages, such as a register office or licensed wedding venue.

How long do I have to wait?

Once each person has given notice of intention to register, there is a 15-day waiting period before the civil partnership can beregistered. In exceptional circumstances, the 15-day period can be reduced – for example where someone is seriously ill and not expected to recover.

What time of day can a civil partnership be registered?

Civil partnerships can only be registered between 8am and 6pm (as is the case for marriage). However, where one of the couple is seriously ill and not expected to recover, then the civil partnership may be formed at any time.

What happens at a civil partnership registration?

The couple sign a civil partnership document in the presence of the registrar and two witnesses. Civil partnership registration is an entirely secular process and the Civil Partnership Act prevents any religious service from taking place during the statutory steps leading to the formation of a civil partnership.

Can we have a ceremony?

Yes. You can have a ceremony in addition to the signing of the legal documentation, but it is not required under the Act.

How much will it cost?

The cost of giving notice in advance of forming a civil partnership is £30.00 per person. Forming a civil partnership at a register office will cost £40.00. The local registration authority set the cost for attendance by a civil partnership registrar and a further charge is likely to be made by the owners of the building for the use of the premises.

What happens if the relationship breaks down?

A civil partnership can only be ended by formal dissolution or annulment, or on the death of one of the parties. The process fordissolution will be court-based and the person applying for the partnership to be dissolved will have to show that it has broken down irretrievably.

Will the UK recognise civil partnership schemes from other countries?

If you have already entered into a civil partnership in another country (countries which already allow civil partnerships include Belgium, Denmark, Finland and Canada), you won’t have to register again here. From 5 December, your partnership will be recognised in the UK.

Frankie Simmonds
Totally Weddings - UK Wedding Planning Service
http://www.totallyweddings.com

Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings

Great Reasons To Visit A Wedding Fayre In Surrey

REASONS TO VISIT A WEDDING FAYRE!

Make the most of seeing products on display and at their best, as products in catalogues or online sometimes do not depict the true nature of the item.

Feel the quality of products and see colours in the flesh

Support and meet local businesses who will be more than happy to discuss your requirements

Get ideas! If you have no idea on how to go about planning your wedding then a wedding fayre is a great place to get creative inspiration

Most wedding fayres have a fashion show, if it is a local show they will probably use local men and women to model bridal and grooms wear – a more realistic way of seeing how you could look.

Most wedding fayres have a selection of wedding suppliers from each wedding category, all with different styles

Regional wedding fayres will have exhibitors from that area, National wedding fayres will have a wide range of businesses from across the UK

Get samples! – try food, have a make up trial, try on tiaras, smell flowers.

Book suppliers all in one day saving time and reducing the stress of planning the big day

Get quotes, reducing all those phone calls

Most wedding fayres are held in venues which supply a wedding reception package, so can see the venue and reception area as well as visiting the fayre

Have a relaxing day out. Fayres are held on a Sunday or over the weekend.

WHAT EXHIBITORS WILL THERE BE?

• Stationers
• Florists
• Wedding Photographers
• Bridal Wear
• Limousines and wedding transport
• Wedding Favours
• Tiaras
• Music
• Chocolate Fountains
• Wedding Venues
• Beauty and hair
• Jewellery
• Wedding Cakes
• Fashion Show
• Wedding Gift Lists
• Wedding gifts and accessories
• Online Wedding Directories
• Wedding Magazines

About the author

R & J events organize exhibitions and events. For more information on visiting or exhibiting at one of the bridal fayres please call 07752 665654 or email randjevents@yahoo.co.uk
Copyright Images and content R & J Events

Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings

Couture Wedding Gowns – A Leap Of Faith?

Couture wedding gowns – a leap of faith?

So, you’re getting married – congratulations! However this does mean that one of the most important decisions of your life is looming - what to wear on the big day? Lets face it, we’ve all seen pictures of family and friends from 15 to 20 years ago who looked more dog’s dinner than dish of the day. Remember, both you and your family will be looking at your wedding pictures for decades to come.

So what can you do to avoid the nightmare of a frilly meringue that fits badly and does nothing for your figure? The obvious answer is to go to a designer who can help you analyse styles that will set off your figure to its’ best advantage whilst also using your ideas to create a unique gown that is wholly your own.

There is no substitute to having a dress made to measure. There are many shops that will alter an existing gown but this can be successful only to a point – and we all know that there is no such person as a standard size 12! On this most special of days, it’s also great to know that no one else in the world has the same dress as you.

A good couturier will start from scratch by taking measurements and, from these, make a “toile” which is a mock-up of the gown. This is where fit & design detail are refined (by moving around necklines, playing with skirt fullness etc) and is very much part of the design phase. After this you are likely to have two or three more fittings in silk with the dress being delivered three weeks or so before your big day. Most shops are only able to offer one fitting for an altered dress and experience tells me that most brides are in the gym & on the diet right up to the last minute.
Then all that’s left is for you to walk down the aisle feeling as beautiful and comfortable as you have ever felt in a gown that fits more perfectly than any you have ever owned.

Melanie Hancox is the designer behind www.ivory-towers-couture.co.uk

Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings

New Wedding Forum For Surrey

We have just added a new forum to the Surrey Weddings wedding directory.

This is your area for meeting with other engaged couples, or even talk directly to the suppliers. We will be inviting all the suppliers who are involved with the site to regularly post advice and ideas into the new wedding forum.

You will be able to talk about anything to do with your wedding. Ask questions about wedding dresses, wedding photographers, churhces in Surrey. Absolutely anything about your wedding.

Other couple who have already got married can advise you from their own experiences, wedding suppliers can advise you from their knowledge.

This will be a fantastic resource for you over time. At the moment, it's empty (it's only been live a few hours), but over the coming months, it will be a bustling discussion area. You don't even need to write anything, you will get lots of great wedding advice, just by reading what others have written and asked. But you will get much more out of it by being involved.

So, jump on over there and ask your first question. Surrey Weddings Forum.

Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings

The National Wedding Show

I just thought I would bring the National Wedding Show to your attention.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

Show dates

29 September-1 October 2006, Earls Court, London
13-15 October 2006. NEC, Birmingham
17-19 February 2006, NEC, Birmingham
24-26 February 2006, Olympia, London

Opening Times
Friday and Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10am-5pm

Ticket prices
Visitors that pre-book their tickets qualify for a free CD of wedding music per booking (RRP £9.99).

NEC show prices: Friday £10/£35 for wedding party and Weekend £12/£40 for wedding party.
Earls Court/Olympia show prices: Friday £12/£40 for wedding party and Weekend £14/£45 for Wedding Party

Past and present exhibitors
Marks and Spencer, John Lewis, Debenhams, Swizzels Matlow, Original Chocolate Fountain Company, Kuoni, British Airways, Moss Bros, Marc Wallace, Argos, Martini, Austin Reed, Isabel Kurtenbach, The Pantiles Bride, Kodak Weddings, Mathew Dickenson, Savoir Design, Shanghai Tang, Wrapit

FEATURE AREAS

How To Look Good On Your Wedding Day
BBC Clothes Show presenter Caryn Franklin will host live make-over demonstrations - 'How to Look Good on Your Wedding Day', taking place three times a day at each National Wedding Show. Brides-to-be can gain free expert advice on wedding dress designs, make-up, bouquets etc, from celebrity experts. Past experts include: Ariane Poole, make-up artist to stars including Penelope Cruz, Uma Thurman and Elizabeth Hurley and Errol Douglas, five times nominated British Hairdresser of the Year.

Caryn Franklin will interview the chosen bride, asking about budget and style for the wedding as well as suggesting new ways of approach. As well as the live make-over itself conducted by Errol, Ariane and their teams, there will be demonstrations around trends, styles and what suits various body shapes as well as guidance on accessories and jewellery.

Designer Bridal Gallery
New to the shows is the 'Designer Bridal Gallery' profiling bridal collections with dedicated sessions highlighting the latest couture styles and trends.

The Catwalk
A series of free stylish catwalk fashion shows will run throughout the day, to help create inspirational fashion ideas for all the members of the wedding party. Each fashion show will highlight a range of styles, prices and trends including groomswear, bridesmaids and pageboy outfits, lingerie and accessories.

Champagne Bar
Each National Wedding Show also hosts a champagne bar. This chic bar is the effervescent hub of the show - the wedding party celebrations begin here.

Visit the National Wedding Show web site for more details.


Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings

Wedding Book Recommendations

Wedding Book Recommendations



Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings

Wedding Gift Ideas - Gifts for Members of the Wedding Party

Wedding Gift Ideas - Gifts for Members of the Wedding Party
By Bridget Mwape

Gifts given by the bride and groom are certainly part of the wedding tradition. But who makes up the group fortunate enough to receive a gift from the bride and groom? Members of the wedding party top that list. That includes everybody: best man, maid of honour, matron, bridesmaids, ushers, groomsmen, junior bridesmaids, flower girls, and ring bearers. It's also a nice gesture for the bride to give a gift to the groom and vice versa, although this is not mandatory. Nowadays, the bride and groom also include each set of parents on the gift giving list. Also, it's definitely a nice gesture to give a gift to any other person who did something special during the occasion. Sometimes someone will be asked to do a special reading at the ceremony, or to step in for the bride's father and walk the bride down the aisle and these individuals should be acknowledged.

Why give gifts to members of the wedding party? The purpose of these wedding gifts is to show your appreciation, not break your wedding budget. A gift that has been specially picked out shows you put thought and consideration into the gift. Including a personalized note with the gift thanks the person for whatever role he or she played and it is certainly a nice touch when having the gift engraved with the wedding date and couple's names or initials. To help with thank you letters, keep a note of what each person's role so you know exactly what to say when it comes to writing.

Prepare the gifts several weeks in advance. Make sure you have the gifts purchased about 4 weeks prior to the wedding date. That gives you enough time to have them engraved and to create your personalized messages. To help the gifts make an even greater impression on the recipient, take special care in wrapping them. Use fancy wrapping paper and elaborate bows using colours that complement the wedding colours. The best time to give your gifts is during the rehearsal dinner, as it's intimate, and the people to whom you're giving the gifts should all be present.

Here are some gift ideas to help you get started? First, check your wedding budget to see how much you have allocated to this category. You've likely spent quite a bit of your money by this stage, so it's important to take a realistic look. Brides typically give each member of the bridal party a piece of jewellery or a hair clip that the bride would like her to wear on the wedding day.

Other gift ideas include bud vases, picture frames, bath oils, a collectible item or a gift basket. The men in the wedding party like to receive engraved pens, pocket watches, cigars, business card holders, a clock for their desk, or key chains. For the parents, a professional wedding photo in an engraved frame is perfect as is a personalized letter detailing your appreciation. For each other, anything that conveys your love and devotion is ideal.

Copyright 2005. Bridget Mwape writes for the Online Gifts Shopping Guide. Find a wide selection of gifts for any occasion at www.online-gift-shopping.co.uk/ and at www.wrist-watch.org.uk/

Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings

Wedding Loans in the UK – Saving Future from the Present Wedding Expenses

Wedding Loans in the UK – Saving Future from the Present Wedding Expenses
By Peter Taylor

It is wrong if you thought that typical British weddings are starving of novel ideas. In fact, there is a glut of ideas, and each idea sounds as enthralling as the previous ones. The only glitch then is of finance. Had weddings been the be-all and end-all of life, not an iota of concern would have been put on the expenses. It isn’t though. Wedding marks the onset of a new life for the married couple. Rash expenses at this stage of life are only going to make things worse in the future.

However, it is difficult to stop oneself from spending on a momentous occasion as wedding. Perceiving the difficulty that borrowers face in arranging finance for weddings, loan providers in the UK have now come up with wedding loans. A wedding loan is a specialised loan service that aims to cater to the borrowers who need finance for organising weddings or meeting payments of a wedding already held.

Wouldn’t it be easier had the entire cost of wedding been broken into a number of parts and repayable in small instalments? A wedding loan intends to do this with the expenses incurred during weddings, and thus ease the burden on the borrower.

The following section lists down a few “must dos” for couples who intend to use wedding loans to say, “I do”.

* Failing to plan is planning to fail
You would not want your wedding to go awry because of a shortage of funds. Planning ensures that there is enough to expend on weddings. Adequate consideration must be given to planning the budget of the wedding. The planning process may be fun, but the results obviously are unprecedented. The various concerned people sit together and decide the various costs that are incurred. In addition, a priority table is prepared so that a less important expenditure can be postponed or omitted altogether. With the changing times, the couple themselves finance the wedding. Nevertheless, it will be prudent to consult the elderly for a proper understanding of the expenses that are commonly incurred on such occasions. A proper planning for wedding budget must have in built flexibilities to provide for contingencies as and when they crop up.

*In search of wedding loans
Once the various persons concerned approve the budget for the wedding and decide that a wedding loan will suffice their purpose, the pursuit for wedding loan begins. Internet serves an important tool in conducting the search. Search engines like Google, MSN, and Yahoo provide links to thousands of loan providers who are offering wedding loans in the UK. Borrowers can easily adjudge loan providers with the information given about them on their website, compare wedding loan deals through a loan calculator, and request wedding loan quotes from lenders who appear lucrative.

*Working the details of the wedding loan
After screening lenders through a number of stages, you single out a lender for offering UK wedding loans. Lenders often work as a network, thus increasing the purview of wedding loan deals. Since the requirements of borrowers differ, customised rather than standardised wedding loan deals are offered. The case of each borrower is studied minutely at this stage to find out the amount that can be lent as wedding loans. Interest options and repayment options are explained to the borrower and he is allowed to make his decisions. Borrowers must not take decisions without knowing in full about its present and future repercussions. As needs be, borrowers can consult the experts or independent financial advisors for a more detailed explanation of the term or any feature of wedding loans.

For a plush wedding in the UK, a large wedding loan will required to be drawn. Qualifying for a large amount of Wedding loans requires a collateral in the form of home or any other asset to serve as the backing for the loan. This is known as gaining on the equity in home. Nevertheless, people can get approved for large wedding loans without collateral, if they are able to instil sufficient faith in the loan provider regarding their credibility. Borrowers with a good credit history do not face difficulties in getting unsecured wedding loans because of the faith that they generate in the loan providers. A person with a bad credit history does not fail entirely in getting a wedding loan. Many loan providers accept to offer them financial assistance during weddings at higher interest rates.

Thus, many people who would have accepted a bland wedding as their fate and the result of the scarcity of resources can now heave a sigh of relief. Through a wedding loan in the UK, they can now have lush weddings minus the fear of destabilising financial health through overspending.

Peter Taylor is a senior financial analyst at easyfinance4u with an acumen for finance and insurance. In recent years he has taken up to provide independant financial advice through his informative articles.His articles are widely read because of the lucid manner of wriiting and thoroughly researched datas. To find Secured loans, secured personal loans, secured debt consolidation loans in UK that best suit your needs visit www.easyfinance4u.com

Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings

The Fraught Side Of A Pending Wedding

The Fraught Side Of A Pending Wedding

Your daughter becomes engaged and the first thing she does, after showing all her friends her engagement ring, is to buy for her father a book entitled ‘Father of the Bride Speeches’. You have a year to read and study the book and then prepare your speech. No real problem – until the bills start arriving!

It is the mother of the bride who bears the brunt of all the arrangements and it would seem that it is her big day as well as her daughter’s! At least, that has been the case in my family.

Who to invite, who sits with whom at the reception, the menu, the wines, the cars, what to wear, what will be grooms mother wear, what hymns, the flowers, the photographer, the venue…….I could go on and on.

BUT...

Even with meticulous planning, things can go wrong.

SO...

Safeguard the day with wedding insurance. It will give you peace of mind!

For MRL Wedding Insurance call 0870 870 4401
or online at www.MRLinsurance.co.uk

Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings

The Thames Trio

THE THAMES TRIO

Violin, Viola and ‘Cello - The Wedding Specialists

The music played on your wedding day will linger on in your memory long after the last notes have died away...

Music plays an integral part in most weddings. It can create an intimate and romantic atmosphere during the ceremony and help you to bring your guests together and break the ice as they celebrate with you at the reception. Music sets the tone and gets your guests in the mood to celebrate! Live music is really the only solution as it creates a real atmosphere and you have complete choice as to what your musicians play.

For the Traditional Church Wedding you will require the services of an organist. In addition, you may wish to book a choir or specialists such as a solo singer or trumpeter to perform one, or even two, favourite pieces during the signing of the register. At the reception, you will create a warm and welcoming atmosphere by having musicians playing as you and your guests arrive. Live music can also be used to great effect to enhance the Pre-Reception Drinks, the Receiving Line, and the Wedding Breakfast.

For your Civil Ceremony, you may wish to engage the services of specialist musicians as an alternative to someone pushing buttons on a CD player - hopefully at the right time! Ensembles such as "The Thames Trio" have considerable experience in helping couples to choose the right music for their ceremony. This can include: music as your guests arrive; processional music; music for the signing of the register and perhaps a piece of particular significance during the ceremony. Good professional musicians should offer a service whereby music can be specially arranged though you should expect to pay a fee for this service. After the ceremony, your musicians can play for the Receiving Line, Pre-Reception drinks and the Wedding Breakfast.

When choosing musicians, couples mostly opt for the traditional choice of string quartet or harp but increasingly many people are looking for something more original such as "The Thames Trio" or other instrumental combinations. The choice for the evening reception may also include a live band or a disco.

When engaging an ensemble, it is advisable to look for musicians who offer programmes tailored to your specific needs:

• careful planning with wedding co-ordinators, caterers, venue etc.
• clear fixed fees, no hidden extras
• client charter of satisfaction
• wide variety of music styles
• written confirmation of all details

Consider too, the age range of your guests when looking at the choice of music offered. If there are lots of elderly guests or young children, a noisy rock band may not be appreciated. Other options are available that will appeal to all age groups. You may want your musicians to move from room to room - can they do this easily and quickly? Will they fit in with your dress code?

Expect to spend between £150 to £250 per musician (does the fee include VAT?) and above all, keep your musicians happy by making sure they have something to eat and drink when they take their breaks.

"The Thames Trio"

Eminent musicians from some of England’s finest orchestras have come together and created "The Thames Trio". Members of the ensemble have played in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; the London Symphony Orchestra; the Philharmonia; the London Philharmonic Orchestra and in the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The Thames Trio understands the importance of thoroughly rehearsing music in advance of your wedding day and will conform to whatever dress code is required.

"The Thames Trio" CD

14 tracks of beautiful music from Bach to the Beatles shows you why the "The Thames Trio" has built a reputation for musical excellence, a fabulous choice of music styles, and sheer brilliance of sound. The ensemble is ready and waiting to play for you on your wedding day.

www.thethamestrio.co.uk

Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings

White Wedding Taxi

London's rare White Wedding Taxi. The impressive and practical carriage that will accommodate the Bride and crease free wedding dress.

Imagine travelling through London in a gleaming white taxi, covered in ribbons. And with a professional driver at the wheel, you are assured of getting to the church on time!

Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings

Making the Most of Your Wedding Photography

Making the Most of Your Wedding Photography

Every bridal couple has high hopes for the success of their wedding day and the memories and photographic record that they and their family will treasure for years after. Practical success relies on good photography, careful planning, some difficult decisions and management on the day. In this article David Tebbs, an associate of Majken Kruse (www.majkens.co.uk), looks at the requirements for effective wedding photography, competing pressures and some practical guidelines.

I have collated the suggestions below from experience the many weddings I have attended as part of the bridal party, others as a guest, photography sessions I have commissioned and also my work with wedding photographers.

Photographic Cover

While selecting the right photographer is important, in this article on making the most of your wedding photography I am looking at the activities that take place after you have booked your photographer and set the broad cover. Photographers carry the main responsibility for the quality of their work, but they are not immune from barriers created by other. In this article I am focussing on those aspects of the photography where the couple can make a major contribution to the process.

Success on the Day

The best wedding photographs are a mix of creative planned shots and catching picture opportunities that arise. The latter can be left to the photographer, but the former need the attention of the couple both in the planning and during the photography. Both familiar compositions and the lovely and apparently casual pictures are often best delivered through careful preparation and execution. Few bridal couples are professional models and it takes time to relax and take direction from your photographer to gain the best results.

From the view of your photographic objectives this is where you face some of your potentially worst adversaries: weather, time, hairdressers, the caterers/organisers and your guests (sometimes including parents). The ideal wedding photographs take time yet naturally most couples need to set limits on the overall programme. On the day you may need to deal with delays from earlier activities and come under pressure from others to move on.

Experience from all perspectives tells us that many aspects of the day take longer than the couple expect. There are many reasons and many brides start running late from the morning visit with their hairdresser/make up artist. With most weddings there are unexpected delays at some stage - after all it's an important and fun day not a regimented programme. The danger is then that time planned for photography is a natural buffer in the programme to others and gets compressed by starting late and pressures from others wishing to move on to later events e.g., the caterer is pushing to move on to drinks or a meal on the original timetable, or parents and guests may want to start the refreshments.

Taking a Balance

Clearly neither dominating the day with photography nor missing the cover you want due to other pressures is appropriate. Equally pure reportage does not meet the wishes of many couple. Thus there is a balance to be set between the needs of photography within a smoothly flowing social event. Here are some suggestions from practical experience:

Discuss these issues with the photographer well before the wedding. This is probably both when selecting your photographer and again in more detail after you have booked the photographer and detail plans are progressing, but before the arrangements for the day are frozen. After the booking, as later visit or call to the photographer, to discuss the more detailed options also helps you get to know each other better, which helps you relax more for the more formal photography on the day. You need follow up discussions shortly before the wedding day.

If you plan photographs of the bride and separately of the groom before the service, then please start your preparations in plenty of time - allow for the hairdresser/make up to take longer than expected. The proverbial late bride is a reflection of under estimates of how long it takes to prepare. The cost to you can be feeling rushed and the loss of photograph opportunities that you planned. Today many brides take the lead in arranging the day. Regrettably minor problems (say missing button holes for the groom and ushers) arise as the bride is getting ready. Ideally you need some one delegated to take the last minute panic calls and deal with such matters without bothering you. You need to concentrate on getting ready, the photography and enjoying your day.

In planning the photography your will be looking for times when the photography is part of the flow of the day and for opportunities for some of the bridal party photographs to be taken without the guests around. This may be a gap in the proceedings, or while the guests are having their first drinks. Not all weddings have perfect photographic settings available at the ceremony or the reception. It can be sad missing a lovely spot near the church or reaching the right location as daylight fades. With a little planning, gaps between segments of the day may also be used to visit a better location for portraits of the bride and groom even if only a few yards form the guests. A few brides consider portraits (in bridal dress) after the wedding day, using a lovely location and enjoying the photography without rush or distracting guests.

Photography sessions probably need more time than that planned for the photography itself, to allow for all those concerned to gather at the right spot and later to move on to the next stage in the programme. Moving both family and guests always takes longer than expected, whether it is clearing a room or moving from a reception room to the photographic location. I recall at one wedding, with challenging weather, where the bride particularly wanted to be photographed in the garden. Over half an hour was lost, just getting those concerned to gather in the garden and then return indoors between showers.

Where a selection of more formal or carefully prepared photographs are to be taken with guests/family present, arrange for an usher or best man to help with "crowd control", to minimise wasting distractions and clashing flashes. A location near but separated from the guests can be better. A good photographer will be experienced in handling the problem, but do you want the photographer worrying about and dealing with intruding guests or concentrating fully on your photographs? Remember the usher will not naturally know what to do so brief him well and get him to discuss how he can help with the photographer. For planned group photographs, ushers, best man or a suitable relation who is likely to know the participants needs to be briefed on the plans and asked to seek those needed when the time arises. Getting the people you want together for each group can waste a lot of time if not pre organised. A list of planned participants is helpful but in itself it does not get them to the right place at the right time.

Talk to the caterers and select a menu that allows best flexibility on when you start to eat - in case delays occur. Do you want you and the photographer distracted by hassle from a caterer because the day was already running half an hour late? Similarly make sure that all concerned with helping manage the day, understand these issues and your priorities, as well as the plan. This should include parents, whether hosting or "helping", an MC, and or others delegated to progress the day for you, as well as those serving you such as the photographer, caterer etc. I recall one occasion where the bride had specifically asked for half an hour of photography with her and the groom and close family immediately before moving into the dining room. The MC interrupted and started those concerned to move on only a quarter of an hour into the session which had started on time. Why? - In his experience it took that long to get guests into a room so in effect he and the bride were working on different schedules. As a "helping" parent at my daughter's wedding I have been guilty of pressing the programme forward on the day, unknowingly against her wishes for more time on the photography.

In Summary

We have discussed some of the issues that can arise. Most will not occur on your wedding day but my advice is prevention is better than cure and be prepared. Within that the common themes are that of planning, allowing for unplanned delays and getting well briefed assistance from family, ushers etc. all help you get what you are seeking from your wedding day, while enjoying yourself. Don't assume that parents know what you want. They may have different priorities on the day.

My best wishes for a successful wedding with a brilliant photographic record. Like much in life, investment of your time in advance can enhance your photographic record of the day.


David Tebbs
at Majken Kruse ABIPP ARPS Photographer
www.majkens.co.uk

Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings

Advertise your wedding business in Surrey

If you operate a wedding business catering for the Surrey area, there are plenty of ways in which you can promote your wedding business through our network of wedding sites.

1) Add your wedding business to the wedding directory
The first is to add your business details to the main wedding directory. This costs just £15.00 per year, and allows you to put your business details in up to 2 categories. You will be given a direct link to your site (if you have one) and up to 256 characters of text to describe your business.

At the time of writing this, the main site receives approximately 2,500 visitors per month (on average). This is a great investment, and this blog shows that we are committed to marketing all the sites in their own right.

2) Write an article
Articles are excellent for promoting any web site. A well written article will fly around the internet at very high speed, and each time it is re-published on a partner site, you will get another inbound link to your site. This is absolutely the best way to promote your site. Of course, there are right ways and wrong ways to go about this.

When you write your article about your wedding business, do not make it a blatant ad. Instead, make it interesting to read and, most importantly, informative. The idea of the article is to show yourself as the true expert in your business, so that anyone who reads the article will seek you out. They do this by following the resource box at the end of the article, which will lead to your site.

Once you have written your article, simply send it over to us, and we'll either re-publish it here on this blog, or on one of our other wedding related sites. Again, each time we re-publish your article, we'll provide a link back to you. This service is free as it provides excellent quality content for our visitors.

3) Let me review your site / service
The third way to promote your wedding business is to let us review your web site, products or services, so that we can tell our visitors about you in an informed way. Rather than just providing a link, we will write about how well received we were when trying to look through your services. This is a new idea and the review will be published here on this blog for all our visitors to read through.

For this to work well, your business ideally needs to offer something slightly different than the norm, so that we can make an interesting story from it.

That's it for now...

Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings

Surrey Weddings

Welcome to the brand new Surrey Weddings blog.

Surrey Weddings is one of the most comprehensive wedding directories covering Surrey and the surrounding areas. The wedding directory consists of over 200 advertisers all based either within Surrey, or providing services and products to the Surrey district.

For you if you are organising a wedding in Surrey

From that directory, you can locate just about any wedding provider you need. Everything from wedding photographers, wedding dresses, hiring a venue for your wedding reception and wedding car hire is available.

The site will become a godsend to you, as you can browse through all the categories and find the suppliers and services you need. And we'll help to provide solid advice along the way. Help to keep your wedding budget low by choosing the right wedding suppliers first time.

For you if you operate a wedding business near Surrey

The list of wedding providers is growing each month. With our innovative marketing, which this new blog is a major part of, the Surrey Weddings directory continues to grow. You may think that this is a bad thing, because it creates more competition. But, in reality, it's actually better for you, because it means that the visitors we bring to the site stay longer and look around more.

Think about it... If the Yellow Pages only showed one or two wedding advertisers, would you do better to be in there, or worse? My feeling is that it would be worse, because those who may require your services would look elsewhere for the details they need. The more advertisers we have on the site, the more effective the site becomes.

Take a look at the links on this page, and you will see the lengths we will go to, to bring in more traffic to the network of wedding sites.

If you are interested in advertising on the Surrey Weddings directory, click here.

Regards
Roger Mayne
Surrey Weddings