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OUT NOW |
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Cover image provided by Teresa C Photography, www.teresac.co.uk |
| | A scandi little Christmas A dash of red, a sprinkle of white and a flurry of neutral touches creates a chic cosy feel for the festive season
| You know it makes sense... See off your single days in style
| The new classic Innovative design meets timeless elegance in the bridal trends of 2016
| Shining armour Our pick of the most gorgeous gold, rose gold and silver accessories
| Grooms' news All the latest for the man of the moment
| Bridesmaids' confessions Best girls share the secrets they've been carrying ever since the big day
| Planned to pefection Local experts' advice on when to book suppliers
| All white now Helen and James had a chic and contemporary day at the Royal Liver Building
| Marriage and mistletoe Lace, pearls and Christmas created Emma and Mark's perfect winter wonderland
| Just the ticket Rachel Westall boards a rail trip of a lifetime, from London to Venice, via two of Europe's culture capitals – Paris and Zurich
| Plus... | Regular features, news, events, Q&A special - and much more | | Next Issue Out | 1st January, 2016 |
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Winter wonderland |
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The Venue at the Royal Liver Building
An iconic address in the heart of Liverpool, the Royal Liver Building is one venue which needs no introduction. This Grade I listed property dates back to 1907, and is topped by the legendary Liver Birds, designed by Carl Bernard Bartels.
The historic building overlooks the River Mersey and forms one of the Three Graces, along with the Port of Liverpool Building and the Cunard Building. Wedding guests have full use of the venue’s adjacent balcony which has breathtaking views and offers a wealth of photo opportunities – perfect for the big day album.
Licensed for ceremonies, The Venue offers a contemporary setting for couples wanting a subtle and sophisticated space. The Bella Ballroom can hold 140 guests in a theatre-style capacity; this impressive suite can be divided to create separate rooms for both your ceremony and reception.
Receptions take place in the Bertie Suite for up to 200 guests. This elegant event space boasts contemporary décor and is a blank canvas which can be transformed to suit requirements and themes.
Contact: 01515 591 950 www.royalliverbuildingvenue.co.uk
Check out more winter themed venues on page 25 of the current issue. |
Wakey, wakey, rise and shine |
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Pull out all the stops pre-vows to make every moment count
The growing trend to extend the big day to a two or even three-day event, allows extra time to focus on the wedding morning as an important part of the nuptials. With more and more couples opting to tie the knot under one roof, many are choosing to take over the whole venue for their exclusive use and enjoy a weekend-long celebration. Enjoy a private dinner the night before – a great way to bring both families together and help people mix and mingle. Wake up the following morning fizzing with excitement surrounded by your best girls to help calm any last-minute jitters. With your whole bridal party in one place you can kickstart the proceedings early with breakfast and champagne, lounge around in cute personalised dressing gowns, treat yourselves to some pre-wedding pampering, have your hair and make-up done, laugh, even cry a little, and make memories to last a lifetime.
"We made a weekend of our wedding starting on the Thursday with a dinner with all the immediate family from both sides. We then did last minute things on the Friday and in the evening, as people started to arrive, we reserved an area in a local bar as a meeting point and more than 80 people came along. After my last kiss as a single woman, my bridesmaids and I escaped back to the hotel for a glass of champagne at bedtime before midnight! We then headed over to the venue the next day where 70 guests were staying to get ready for the wedding day". – real bride Emma Kettles
Emma bought personalised bags from www.notonthehighstreet.com as wedding morning gifts for her bridesmaids. She filled them with a bracelet and matching earrings for them to wear on the day, a framed photo of them together and wedding day essentials such as plasters and headache tablets.
Turn to page 72 of the current issue for more inspiration. |
Forthcoming Events | | Please note: All dates are subject to changes, contact organisers for more information before making arrangements. | | To view more events, please visit the events page on our website. | | 30 James Street | Signature Living Liverpool, C/O 30 James Street, Albion House, Liverpool, Merseyside, L2 7PS | Web: | Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2016 | Time: 12pm - 5pm | | Best Western Forest Hills Open Day | Best Western Forest Hills Hotel, Overton Hill, Frodsham, Cheshire WA6 6HH | Web: www.foresthillshotel.com | Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2016 | Time: 12noon - 3pm | |
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Dreaming of a white Christmas |
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After the venue, dress, cake and all the other paraphernalia is sorted, you might have a wake up-in-the-middle- of-the-night moment realising you haven't booked your big-day transport. Your chosen wedding car will no doubt make an appearance in your photograph album, so you need to get it right. On page 75 we have a quiz to help you choose the most important ride of your life.
As I mentioned before, winter nuptials can be beautiful so take a peek at page 25 where we showcase venues perfect for snowy 'I dos'. However, if you have your heart set on a contemporary city wedding, feast your eyes over page 19 which has some local Liverpool lovelies.
One last thing, it's our last round of Wedding of the Year, so take a look at page 31 and cast your vote to send one lucky couple into the grand final.
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Danielle Harvey, Editor |
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Make sure you email editor@yourmerseysidewedding.com to keep us up to date with all your news |
Win an exotic honeymoon in Borneo, worth £4,000 |
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Enter now for your chance to win a luxury four-night island resort experience for two at Gaya Island Resort, provided by YTL Hotels
If R&R is top of your post-wedding 'to do' list, this luxurious island resort boasting its own Spa Village could be the honeymoon hotspot of your dreams. Situated within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, 15 minutes off the coast of Kota Kinabalu in Borneo, where you'll find the nearest airport, the gorgeous Gaya Island Resort in Sabah rests along the coast of Malohom Bay. Part of the YTL Hotels collection, it's a sanctuary hidden in the hillside of an ancient rainforest, accessible only by boat.
Its 120 villas and two-bedroom Suria Suite offer a variety of canopy, tropical rainforest and South China Sea views and are designed with contemporary elegance yet blend harmoniously with the environment. The luxurious Suria Suite is spread across two levels and has uninterrupted views of the ocean and Mount Kinabalu. As well as a lounge, private dining room, TV room, powder room and pantry, it boasts two bedrooms with separate en suite bathrooms, walk-in wardrobes and vanity areas – plus your very own al fresco bath that leads on to the suite's private balcony.
Whether you want to take a wander along a guided nature trail, snorkel the coral reefs, fish for your dinner or partake in a dance class, there's a PURE activity on offer for you. You can also while away hours indulging in treatments at Gaya Island Resort's Spa Village, nestled within the mangroves; it offers a whole menu of spa programmes, six treatment rooms, outdoor decks and the Mangrove Theatre, a dedicated space for relaxing wellness activities. The resort's signature treatment Tadau Kaamatan is a must. Referred to as 'a couple's celebration of rice', it's an experience that pays tribute to legends and the local importance of rice, including a body scrub, hair mask, massage and facial, using various natural ingredients.
You'll have a choice of spots in which to dine; the poolside Feast Village provides diverse cuisine from the Asia-Pacific region, Fisherman's Cove serves up a selection of fresh seafood-themed dishes, Omakase offers Japanese delights and The Pool Bar & Lounge overlooks the resort's infinity pool. If you wish to venture off the island for dinner, Tavajun Bay is a short five-minute boat ride away. Or why not enjoy a Bajau Laut Beach Barbecue on the resort's private beach while gazing at the glistening stars?
If discoveries, authentic experiences and a sense of intimacy with the natural world are ticking all the boxes for you, Gaya Island Resort is the one.
For more information, visit www.gayaislandresort.com
The prize
- Four nights’ accommodation in the Suria Suite for two on a bed and breakfast basis
- Return speedboat transfers
- A private Bajau Laut Beach Barbecue experience for two
- A couple’s Tadau Kaamatan treatment at the resort’s Gaya Island Spa Village
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Enter here |
The hot ticket |
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Image provided by www.louisebjorling.com |
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The Wedding Fair at EventCity, Manchester is the ultimate day out for wedding inspiration, where you can try, buy, book and hire everything for your perfect day. Showcasing more than 180 of the finest wedding suppliers from the North West including Manchester, Liverpool and the surrounding areas, everything is covered from venues to favours, transport to catering, stationery to cakes, and much more. There’ll also be ten beautiful catwalk shows throughout the three-day show with stunning gowns for every bride, as well as menswear, bridesmaids’ dresses and occasionwear, The Essential Bridalwear Collection where you can try on your favourites, free expert workshops and live entertainment too.
Don’t miss… Creative Brides Vintage Village – imaginative ways to make your big day individual and unforgettable – beautiful items to make your wedding truly unique. - Prosecco Bar with bubbly aplenty!
- Plus, live entertainment stage to preview the best wedding entertainment acts.
Taking place at EventCity, Manchester from Saturday 12th March to Sunday 13th March 2016, find out more at www.theweddingfairs.com |
Congratulations |
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In its first year of business The Lovebus Wedding Company Ltd was awarded the runners up prize in the Transport category at The Great Northern Wedding Awards. The Lovebus Wedding Company Ltd offers two double sliding door, bay window VW Campervans that seat six passengers named Daisy and Dotty, and a rarer sliding door split screen Samba VW Campervan with full roll top sunroof – which seats three – named Delilah.
In August the company was selected as one of Theo Paphitis Small Business Sunday Award winners. It continues to add to its fleet with a VW splitscreen hi-top camper converted into an ice cream/ candy camper named Dolly Delights and a bay camper named the WaffleWagon67 serving dutch pancakes and waffles.
Check out... www.thelovebusweddingcompany.co.uk |
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Marriage and mistletoe |
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Image provided by Teresa C Photography |
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Lace, pearls and Christmas, created the perfect festive day for Emma and Mark
Emma and Mark met in traditional form through a mutual friend during a night out in a local pub. “I thought Mark was very handsome, confident and friendly,” recalls Emma. “I thought she was very pretty and had an intriguing nature,” adds Mark.
Mark proposed four years later to an unsuspecting Emma on Valentine’s Day, 2009. “He’d sent me flowers at home that morning, and we had a lovely day in Chester followed by a romantic evening meal,” says Emma. “He didn’t find an opportunity during the day to pop the question, so got down on one knee at home that evening!
“However, a few years later, Mark was working in Singapore and I flew out to visit him. One evening, at the top of the world-famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Mark got down on one knee and asked me to marry him again. It was so romantic, and we started planning the wedding as soon as we got home.”
Turn to page 40 of the current issue to read all the details of their big day.
www.teresac.co.uk |
Hot topic: Seasonal nuptials |
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Deciding décor
Q We’ve decided to tie the knot at Christmas, but I love all things vintage. How can we combine these two themes?
A Stylist Amy Wilkinson says: To combine vintage and Christmas themes together, I’d look at using rustic items such as log slices, hessian runners, lots of candles and fairylights to give that warm festive glow.
Using evergreens and berries in your floral arrangements is a simple way to suggest the season; maybe add a splash of gold or silver to lift the brown tones from the logs and hessian?
If you’re wanting something more glamorous, you could use mercury glass vases and tea light holders or gold sequin table cloths as a continuation of those shiny baubles and ornaments.
www.sweetpeaandivy.co.uk
Experts answer more questions on page 78 of the current issue. |
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