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Fit and fabulous
Get in tip-top shape for your big day with help from our experts
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Future forecasts
The County Wedding Magazines team predicts the must-have trends for 2012
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Marriage Ref
We tackle your pre- and post- wedding dilemmas
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The ultimate etiquette survival guide
What to do, and when to do it
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Real weddings
Be inspired by other brides and grooms
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Make a statement
Show-stopping hair accessories for the big day
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Band of love
Beautiful ring designs and tips from the region's jewellers
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Intimate and romantic
Venues to make your dreams come true
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Aylesbury and The Chilterns
Our pick of some of the region's fabulous settings
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Wedding of the year
Find out who won the last round and meet this issue's contenders
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| Plus... |
| Regular features, news, events, Q&A special - and much more |
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| Next Issue Out |
| 20th January 2012 |
| Hot topic: Flowers |
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| Image provided by Clementine by Charlotte Balbier |
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Vintage look
Q- Our summer wedding is themed around country vintage, so I'd like to have a floral-inspired look for my outfit to complement this. Can you suggest a few ideas?
A - Anna says: Wearing a vintage wedding dress and adding floral accents is very feminine and particularly fabulous for spring. You could wear a soft satin sash with a flower around your waist or choose a dress with floral detail to create a vintage feel.
Charlotte Balbier's creations such as Pearl, Clementine (pictured) and Tabitha are beautiful examples. To complement your dress using flowers, choose from a range of elegant hairpieces such as hair barrettes, accent clips, hair wreaths and tiaras. |
| Magic & romance |
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| Image provided by Nigel Chapman Photography |
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A winter wonderland backdrop brought enchantment to Kirsty and Charlie's big day
Kirsty and Charlie first met during a rugby match while they were both studying at Bath Spa University, and have been inseparable ever since. Knowing Christmas is Kirsty's favourite time of year, Charlie timed his proposal for Christmas Eve, 2008. "Early in the evening, Charlie was badgering me to open my present, and it was a pretty huge box," recalls Kirsty. "As I started unwrapping it I found more boxes, each one getting smaller and smaller, until I opened the last one to find my beautiful engagement ring!"
With the big day set in December 2010, Kirsty and 20 of her girlfriends decided to celebrate early with a Halloween- themed hen party. "We went to Carmarthen in Wales for a weekend of girly sleepovers, horse-riding and spa sessions," she says. "Charlie and his friends played indoor golf as part of a 'bad taste golf' theme. As he loves wine, this was followed by an evening at Vinopolis in London and clubbing later in the evening."
The couple joined forces with friends and family to plan their big day. "Charlie is a real foodie and loves good wine, so he wanted to be involved in organising that part of the day," says Kirsty. "Our friends and family were a great help with everything else." Here, Kirsty talks us through the highlights of their celebration.
"Approximately 18 months before the wedding, I went to a bridal dress sample sale just for the fun of it, and on my way out I spotted this dress, which my bridesmaid convinced me to try on. It was a Suzanne Neville halterneck gown with a fish tail, and even though it was straight off the shelf, it fitted like a glove! I needed something to keep me warm on the day, so I wore a dark green full-length velvet cape, which complemented my dress beautifully."
To read on see page 64 of the current issue. |
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| Here comes the bride |
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It's with great happiness that I am writing my first letter as a newlywed! Fresh from our nuptials I am full of the joys of married life and our fantastic honeymoon to Thailand. As editor of the region's leading wedding magazine I was lucky enough to get fresh inspiration on a daily basis and put a lot of thought into the planning process. And there was nothing better than seeing all our efforts come to fruition - everything was exactly as we had imagined it.
Many people said to me during the run up to the big day not to sweat the small stuff, but having now experienced the wedding of my dreams I have to totally disagree. Yes, paying attention to the most minute details can lead to some stress and anxiety. However, when I saw the beautiful barn decorated with all the little extras, it made the day what it was. Many guests commented on the individual place cards, the beautiful table displays and the quirky decorations, which made it all worthwhile.
Happy planning,
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| Louise Prance, Editor |
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| Make sure you email editor@yourberksbuckswedding.co.uk to keep us up to date with all your news |
| Win a weight management package worth £650 |
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Winter is the perfect excuse to indulge in delicious, heart-warming food, puddings, creamy hot chocolate and good wine. But when the season's celebrations are done and New Year dawns, many brides-to-be will embark on a diet and exercise regime to shed those extra pounds.
Fitting into that gorgeous gown is the perfect motivation, but it's also important to be aware of the health risks involved in going on a crash diet. Knowing what types of food will improve your metabolism and burn calories is vital, and with help from nutrition experts such as Weight Medics, you could be well on your way to achieving your desired weight, not just for the big day, but hopefully for a lifetime.
Reading-based Weight Medics specialises in weight loss and management. The company was established in 1988 and works under the ethos of providing the highest standard of care and service to its clients. In December 2004 it became one of the first clinics in the country to achieve registration under the Government's new Care Quality Commission.
"There is no `one size fits all' solution to managing weight," says CEO Daphne Rowan. "It depends on a range of factors, including a person's age, gender, build, lifestyle and medical history. We do not use starvation diets and all our eating plans involve real food, not shakes or powders."
The company's weight loss programmes take place under the supervision of a qualified doctor and involve healthy, nutritionally-balanced meals with controlled portion sizes. Meal plans and informative handouts are designed to educate clients and get them to incorporate healthy eating habits that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
Weight Medics offers three levels of programmes, all supervised by a GMC (General Medical Council) registered doctor. The entry level membership is called the Gold programme and provides an expert doctor to manage your programme, a range of eating plans developed by nutritionists, and safe medication to reduce hunger.
A step up is the Gold Plus membership, which includes all the benefits of the Gold programme, plus:
- A monthly full body composition analysis to determine your basal metabolic rate, or how many calories your body burns each day to determine what your daily calorie intake should be to enable steady weight loss.
- The doctor will advise on changes to make in your eating plan to achieve the right daily food intake.
- You'll also learn your body fat percentage, your fat free mass (amount of visceral fat you have), and your metabolic age, i.e., whether you have the metabolism of a younger or older person than your current age.
- Access to The Vault, a password-controlled archive of videos and articles about weight loss and nutrition.
We've teamed up with Weight Medics to give one winner and a friend a three-month Gold Plus membership. |
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| Enter here |
| A toast to Zest |
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| Image provided by EyeImagine Professional Photography |
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We are delighted to announce that Zest Caterers is now on the accredited supplier list for The National Trust and also the exclusive wedding caterer and hospitality provider to Stowe, a Natural Trust property.
"We are really excited to have teamed up with wedding experts The Zest Group. Stowe is such a magical place to hold a wedding and we are looking forward to being able to share this special landscape with brides and their families for many years to come," says Tracie Tungate, Operations Manager for the National Trust at Stowe.
For more details visit www.zestcaterers.com |
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| Take a look at our regularly updated Find a Supplier feature on our website where you find profiles, photographs and contact information from businesses in your area who will help you with your dream wedding. |
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| Find your local wedding suppliers... |
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| Bind your love |
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Wedding rings reflect a couple's personalities and are meant to last a lifetime. Find the perfect band with advice from the region's jewellers
Planning a wedding involves making myriad choices, and what could be more important than choosing your rings? With so many beautiful styles to boggle the mind and trends to influence your decisions, the hunt for the perfect band can seem like a daunting challenge. We asked some of the region's jewellers for their advice.
Choosing your wedding ring
Engagement rings come in many unusual designs and shapes, which can make it tricky when it comes to selecting a wedding band to match them. The process of customising a ring takes time, but is a fun, creative endeavour couples can really get involved in.
Jewellers advise brides to choose the same metal as their engagement ring so they don't rub against each other. Different metals are said to wear at different rates, so what might seem a budget-friendly option now may end up costing more money in the future. The good news is, many jewellers offer a bespoke service allowing clients to choose a design that fits perfectly with their engagement ring.
To read on see page 37 of the current issue. |
| Aylesbury and The Chilterns |
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Nether Winchendon House
Nether Winchendon, Nr Thame HP18 0DY
01844 290 101
www.netherwinchendonhouse.com
Nether Winchendon is a magnificent Grade I listed building set within seven acres of gardens and parkland. Wedding celebrations are held here on an exclusive basis only, providing the bride and groom and their guests total privacy and use of the estate for the entire day. From walled gardens to ornate iron gates and dramatic stained glass windows, the possibilities are endless when it comes to romantic photographs.
The venue does not hold a licence for civil ceremonies - instead, couples come here after their civil ceremony to exchange rings and vows conducted by a celebrant of their choice, allowing couples to choose their own words and songs. If couples wish, they can get married in church in the village of Nether Winchendon or in nearby Waddesdon.
Receptions, sit down meals and evening celebrations can be held in the high-beamed barn with its own bridal garden. A marquee can also be set up on the East Lawn or in The Walled Garden, while a more relaxed tea party can be arranged under the trees on the South Lawn.
Nether Winchendon offers three packages. The first allows couples to choose the venue location within the estate and their own suppliers. In the Dream Wedding package, the entire day's celebration is arranged by the venue and includes accommodation for the newlyweds in the Bridal Cottage and four bedrooms for guests in the West Wing. The Bespoke Wedding is the ultimate in customised celebrations, where a dedicated designer will source the very best suppliers.
For more venues in the region see page 23 of the current issue. |
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To buy a copy for just £2.95 post free or to order a subscription of six issues for just £15, please visit our web site...
www.yourberksbuckswedding.co.uk or call us on 01376 514000 |
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