Rooney and McLoughlin To Wed

British footballer Wayne Rooney and his fiancee Coleen McLoughlin will wed in front of about 60 family and friends in an extravagant three-day event beginning June 10, when private jets will shuttle the wedding party and guests to the wedding site.

Reportedly, guests of the couple have been asked to block out all days between June 10 and June 14 to attend the £3 million wedding. Coleen McLoughlin has settled on a site on the Cote D’Azur for the actual ceremony. The date and location are still being kept under wraps, but June 12 is the early favorite.

The couple have contracted the services of a Manchester events company to assist with the logistics of transporting and accommodating all of the guests, and assisting with the pre- and post-wedding events. Guests will be invited to a pre-wedding ball with a black-and-white theme. After the wedding, they will celebrate with a barbeque.

The bride has selected a £100,000 ivory meringue gown designed by Marchesa, and has made several trips to New York, where the designer is located, for fittings. The couple have also sold the rights to press coverage for the wedding to a magazine for £2.5 million.

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That Wedding Dress

In an interview with CNBC’s Michael Eisner, wedding dress designer Vera Wang says the most expensive wedding gown she’s ever created was never worn. Wang created a wedding dress for singer and actress Jennifer Lopez, during her engagement to actor Ben Affleck. The wedding was canceled and the dress was never seen in public. Reportedly, Lopez burned the dress. Wang was never paid for the gown. Some reports say that Lopez refused to pay for the dress; others say that Wang offered it at no charge in exchange for the publicity.

Wang, who designed (but did not manufacture) her own wedding dress, is married to Arthur Becker and will celebrate her 20th wedding anniversary in 2009. Wang, who was a 1968 Olympic figure skating hopeful, started designing wedding dresses after being disappointed in the selections available at the time she was planning her own wedding. Wang sketched her own dress and took it to a colleague, who turned the drawing into a dress, reportedly worth $10,000 at the time. Aside from wedding dresses, Wang designed skating costumes for Nancy Kerrigan and Michelle Kwan and outfits for the Philadelphia Eagles’ cheerleading squad. Wang also offers a ready-to-wear line of women’s clothing.

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A Bad Limousine Experience Spawns A Multi-million Dollar Business

A Fairfield, Ohio groom who was disappointed with the limousine service he’d organised for his wedding night thought he could do a better job. He did, and fourteen years later, he and his wife own a multi-million dollar limousine service that caters to newly married couples and corporate clients alike.

Eric and Lynn Boeppler founded A Savannah Nite limousine service in 1999 and operate a fleet of more than 40 vehicles. The Boepplers have recently acquired two of their competitor, and have made their mark in the limousine service area. In 2007, the service made $1.5 million dollars and Boeppler expects to double his revenues in 2008.

His current fleet includes everything from classic automobiles to hybrid vehicles and can accommodate between four and thirty-five passengers. Boeppler rolls out the red carpet for brides, literally. Wedding service includes a red-carpet exit for the bride and groom, and wedding colour-coordinated napkins inside the car.

In addition to weddings, Boeppler organises charter jets, corporate limousine services, and football parties. When things get tough in the office, Boeppler heads out to the garage to unwind by doing vehicle maintenance. His father was a mechanic and Boeppler has been working on cars since his youth.

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Paying For A Babysitter

If you’re planning a wedding and you’re stuck on whether you should allow children at your event, consider organising a babysitter for guests with younger children. The idea of using a wedding sitter is also appealing to brides who may have small children of their own.

A wedding sitter will attend the reception and provide entertainment, activities that appeal to children and supervision for small guests while their parents enjoy the celebration. While you may believe that guests are responsible for organising their own sitters, some out-of-town guests, mothers of small children, and family members might find it difficult to provide sitting services under these circumstances.

Wedding sitters can normally accommodate six or more children at a time, depending upon the age of the children. Infants and toddlers will require more supervision. Older children may require more engaging activities to ward off boredom.

If you plan to entertain several children at your event, you might consider hiring more than one sitter. The sitter should be given ample room away from the main event to play games, do crafts, or provide activities of interest to children. Provide the sitter with sufficient information about the ages of the children in his or her care, and ask for references and recommendations before hiring a sitter.

By providing sitting services at your reception, you may make your event more enjoyable for all of your guests, including the little ones.

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2008 Wedding Invitation Trends Emerge

The choice of wedding invitation is always a difficult one, primarily because there are so many choices available. Wedding invitation trends are emerging for 2008, and brides can expect the number of choices to increase.

While invitations are still available in traditional colours - white, ivory and ecru - many brides are opting for bright and bold colours instead. In 2008, brides will be treated to tropical pinks, oranges and yellow shades, along with stand-out reds, blues and purples. Warmer neutral colours in browns, pinks and pastel purple are also receiving extra attention from this year’s brides. Coloured inks that stand out from the invitation colour are also popular.

Invitations that match the colour scheme of the wedding are extremely popular. Other themes can find their way into the invitations based on the wedding’s location or the season of the year.

More brides are opting for customised invitations in 2008 that lend a unique quality to the event. Also on the decline are single-panel invitations. Instead, brides are choosing card-style invitations, tri-folds and specialised presentations that include photographs, embellishments like ribbons and bows, scroll invitations and all-in-one pocket-fold cards.

Brides are also choosing non-traditional fonts that make their invitations stand out from the crowd. Printed calligraphy, artistic fonts and even custom fonts are making their way to the top of a bride’s preferred options.

Many couples are also looking at unique, natural, and recycled paper stocks to create a special texture and feel, while preserving the environment at the same time. Many couples are asking their guests to RSVP online or via telephone, rather than using a traditional RSVP card.

Be sure to visit Kardella’s wide selection of invitations designed to fit any budget.

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ING Says UK Couples Postponing and Foregoing Weddings Due To Cost

A growing number of UK couples are postponing wedding plans or foregoing the event altogether due to the rising cost of wedding ceremonies. Financial planner ING Direct says that as many as 102,000 engaged couples in the UK have indefinitely postponed wedding ceremonies, citing their cost as the primary reason for the delay. This number, which represents 15 percent of the country’s engaged couples, has risen from 10 percent over the last 20 years.

Also according to the survey results, 41 percent of respondents indicated that they had exceeded their wedding budgets by an average of £3,700 (AUD$8,000); 14 percent of respondents said their spending choices were driven by a desire to outdo friends and family members’ weddings; and 25 percent said they felt pressured to make certain spending decisions by pictures they viewed in the media.

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Monaco Sources Confirm That Albert Is Planning A Wedding

His Royal Highness Albert, Prince of Monaco will marry Charlene Wittstock at the end of the summer. The pair have been together since the 2006 Winter Olympics. Ms. Wittstock is a former South African swimming champion.

An engagement announcement for the couple has been anticipated for several months, and while the palace has not issued a formal announcement, it did confirm for the French publication Point de Vue that a royal wedding is in the planning stages. Accompanying the story was a formal portrait of the prince and Ms. Wittstock, released one day prior to Prince Albert’s fiftieth birthday.

This will be the first wedding for both Prince Albert, and Ms. Wittstock, 30. Prince Albert has two children from previous relationships, neither of whom are eligible to succeed him to the throne. Monaco modified its male-oriented succession rules in 2002 to accommodate the possibility that Albert would not produce an eligible heir. The modifications allowed Albert’s sisters, Caroline and Stephanie, and their children to presumptively succeed Albert in such a circumstance.

The announcement in Point de Vue indicated that no date had been set for the wedding. A formal announcement from the palace is expected in the coming weeks.

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Reduce The Rising Cost Of Weddings

To anyone who is planning a wedding, the cost is no surprise. If you’ve just gotten engaged, you can reduce the cost of your wedding by taking some simple steps.

To save on invitations, experts recommend shopping online. In addition to finding pre-cut invitations in a number of styles, many printers offer do-it-yourself wedding invitation kits that will reduce the cost of invitations and postage. Kardella offers a full range of wedding invitations, including custom designs, pre-printed invitations and do-it-yourself invitation kits.

To save on gowns, experts also recommend buying online. Online retailers can order gowns at a discount, and some manufacturers will ship gowns to brides directly from the factory, saving hundreds of dollars in the process. Department stores are another source of reduced-cost wedding wear. In addition, bridal shops periodically sell sample gowns at a significantly reduced cost. Buying a used gown is also an option, but one caution here: many used gowns have been altered.

To save money on flowers, choose seasonal bouquets. Using flowers that are readily available to local florists will significantly reduce the cost of having flowers at the wedding. Also consider using a single flower, rather than a full bouquet for bridesmaids and even for the bride. Balloons, candles, and potted plants can also be used as table centrepieces.

To save money on reception food, serve chicken or fish as an entree instead of beef or more expensive seafood. Buffets are also less expensive, since the larger number of food choices mean that guests will consume less of each item.

You can also save money on the wedding cake by ordering a small cake for the cutting ceremony and a sheet cake for dessert. Experts also recommend reducing the number of dessert choices for guests, and frosting cakes with buttercream frosting, rather than rolled fondant.

Finally, brides can also save money on reception costs by holding daytime weddings instead of evening events. Additionally, by scheduling a wedding in the “off-season” brides can also reduce the cost of their event.

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Wedding Boot Camp

A new wedding planning service for Australian brides, called The Wedding Boot Camp, will help brides-to-be get their wedding plans into shape. Organised by Kylie Carlson, a transplanted wedding planner from the UK, the Wedding Boot Camp offers brides a complimentary consultation, and basic assistance with venues, budgeting, invitations and guest list management, trends and creative ideas for a wedding.

Carlson reformulated her approach to wedding planning after moving to Australia. Unlike brides elsewhere, Carlson discovered that Australian brides generally forego the services of a wedding planner in an effort to save money. Carlson’s new approach allows brides to choose areas of wedding planning in which they want help, rather than offering a complete service package.

If a bride would like assistance with the venue selection, but has a handle on her guest list or budget, Carlson’s crew will visit venues with the bride and provide as much (or as little) help as desired.

According to Carlson, the wedding planning industry in Australia is about five years behind those in the UK and the US. She cites the sharp increase in the variety of options as a primary driver in the decision to use the services of a wedding planner. Carlson has been planning weddings professionally for about ten years and likens her new service to that of a personal trainer. Her goal with The Wedding Boot Camp is to provide service, consultation and advice at an affordable rate.

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Choosing Your Wedding Party

Brides and grooms-to-be usually select their wedding party members early in the planning process. For some, the choices are easy: the wedding wouldn’t be perfect without a sister, brother or best friend as the Maid of Honour or Best Man.

Sometimes, couples have very different views of how large the wedding party should be. The bride may want six bridesmaids, while the groom may only want one or two close friends to stand up for him. Engaged couples will need to negotiate the size of the wedding party.

Once the size of the wedding party is agreed upon, couples must choose the members of the party. Family members and close friends are natural choices. Brides may choose members of the groom’s family to witness the wedding, and vice versa.

It’s important for brides and grooms to remember that their wedding party members are people, and not just props for wedding photographs. Participating in a wedding can be expensive. Wedding party members may have to pay for their dresses and tuxedos, shoes and accessories, hairdressers’ costs, airplane tickets, rental cars and hotel rooms. Engaged couples should be considerate of these expenses and do whatever possible to minimise the cost of participating in a wedding. That may mean being flexible on attire, shoes or accessories; providing accommodations for out-of-town wedding party members; and even assisting with the out-of-pocket expenses, if possible.

The larger the wedding party, the more difficult it will be to manage all of the concerns that are likely to crop up. This, too, should be considered when deciding how large a wedding party should be. Fear of hurting someone’s feelings by not asking him or her to participate should be addressed immediately, before this misgiving inflates the size of the wedding party - and the wedding budget. Engaged couples should also stand firm about wedding party size, and not allow themselves to be unduly influenced to add wedding party members to satisfy the demands of family politics.

Take some time to consider the members of your wedding party before asking them to participate, and have a few potential substitutes in mind, in case one of your first choices must decline your request. Planning ahead when it comes to your wedding party may save some angst in the long run, and make for a more pleasant event.

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007 To Marry Long Time Girlfriend

English actor Daniel Craig, the current embodiment of James Bond, will reportedly marry his Long Time girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell. Craig, who is in Panama to film the latest 007 movie “Quantum of Solace” recently asked Mitchell to marry him and will wed once filming has been completed.

The pair met on the set of “The Jacket” in 2005. Mitchell has been seen showing off a large Cartier diamond ring in a platinum setting. The couple is reportedly favouring an intimate ceremony. This will be the first marriage for the 40-year-old actor and also the first marriage for his 29-year-old bride-to-be.

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Worst Wedding Weather Gets A Caribbean Cruise

Ten couples have been chosen as finalists in the “Worst Wedding Weather” contest, sponsored by the Farmers’ Almanac, a US publication. Visitors to the Farmers’ Almanac web site can vote for their favorite weather disaster. The winning couple will receive an all-expense paid Caribbean cruise. Voting, at the Farmers Almanac Web site, will take place through March 17. The winning couple will be announced on March 31.

Featured wedding weather disasters include couples who battled cyclones, record snowfalls, floods, rain, and even a massive tornado that pressed a bride and three of her bridesmaids (all registered nurses) into emergency assistance mode when it crashed a wedding reception. Despite the disasters - many of which happened years ago - the couples are thankful that their wedding day disasters have had no impact on their marital bliss.

The stories - and accompanying photographs - are good reminders for brides who are planning their weddings that no matter how much wedding planning they do, they need to roll with the punches on the Big Day.

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Celebrities Make Quiet Wedding Plans

Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt is staying mum about her wedding plans with fiancé Ross McCall. She has indicated that the couple will have a low-key wedding with a small, private celebration. The couple met on the set of Love Hewitt’s television programme Ghost Whisperer in January 2006. McCall proposed to Love Hewitt in November 2007. Hewitt admits that they have nothing planned yet. McCall said that they may also decide to marry on the spur-of-the-moment.

Jennifer Love Hewitt is not the only one who is planning a low-key ceremony. Reports published by the New York Post indicate that singer and actress Janet Jackson has accepted a marriage proposal and is planning a quiet ceremony with long-time companion Jermaine Dupri. The singer is reportedly looking at dresses for the event.

The Jackson wedding is something of a surprise, since Ms. Jackson, who has been married twice, said in a recent magazine interview that she may never marry again. In that interview, Jackson cited concerns that her failed marriages were an indication that marriage is not meant for her. Ms. Jackson neither confirmed nor denied the report.

Neither couple have announced a wedding date.

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Marriages Made In Hell

The tiny town of Hell, Michigan in the US didn’t waste a minute of Leap Day helping couples recognize their love with a “marriage made in Hell.” Twenty-one couples took advantage of the Leap Day services offered by a wedding chapel in the hamlet.

As luck would have it, a major snowstorm hit Hell at daybreak, dumping six inches of fluff on the area during the morning commute, but it didn’t make a difference to the couples, many of whom appreciated the authenticity of predictions that they would only marry on a cold day in Hell.

In addition to the twenty-one couples who married, six other couples renewed their wedding vows. John Colone, the mayor of Hell and owner of the wedding chapel, used the occasion to recognize “Sadie Hawkins Day.” Traditionally celebrated in November, Sadie Hawkins day has migrated to February 29, and is often used by women to propose marriage to their boyfriends.

Colone, who goes by the name Mayor Odum Plenty for events like this, wore a tuxedo and snow boots, and witnessed each wedding. Each couple was presented with a Devil’s food cupcake, chocolates and champagne, and a singed deed of ownership of one-square-inch of Hell. Each couple also received a certificate from the town, commemorating the occasion and wishing them “one hell of a happy life together.” According to Colone, “Everyone is happy and having fun, and that’s what we like.”

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Egypt Appoints First Female Maazun

In a sign of the times, Egypt has appointed its first female maazun in the Islamic world to oversee marriages, reconciliations and divorces. A maazun is a judicial assistant or notary, and reads Qur’anic verses, signs marriage certificate and authorises petitions of divorce.

32 year-old Amal Soliman, a mother of three, holds a master’s degree in law and was selected over ten men who were also being considered for the position. Soliman says that she is especially qualified for the work since she will be able to determine whether the bride really wants to marry the groom, or is simply being pressured to marry by her family. She says she will also be better able to dissuade women from seeking a divorce. Soliman will take over the work of her father-in-law who was a maazun in the town of Qinayat, east of Cairo, until his recent death.

Nothing in Islamic law prevents a woman from performing the duties of a maazun, but women are prohibited from reading from the Qur’an, entering a mosque or praying while menstruating or recovering from childbirth. Ms. Soliman says that she will conduct marriages in peoples’ homes or at wedding halls during such times.

Not everyone is happy about having a female maazun. Some people believe that couples who plan to marry will not use her services, and eventually she will lose her position.

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Playing Host At The Wedding

Couples who are being married sometimes forget that they may also be hosting a large party after the ceremony. Most of the couple’s planning efforts are directed toward planning the reception, but planning doesn’t always help couples remember to be gracious hosts!

To make certain that your guests are comfortable at your wedding reception, you’ll need to do some heavy lifting on what is bound to be one of the most stressful days in your life. Start by reviewing the guest list with your soon-to-be spouse in the days prior to the wedding. Talk about the people who are on the guest list and fill your partner in on any pertinent history prior to the wedding. Likewise, ask your partner to do the same for you.

When it comes to picture-taking, if you’ve hired a professional photographer, consider doing all of the portraiture prior to the wedding ceremony. This will reduce the amount of time between the end of the wedding and the start of the reception. If you can’t do this, be sure your guests are offered food and drink while they wait for your arrival. Appoint someone to oversee the assembly in your absence and work with the catering staff to ensure that your guests are comfortable.

Talk to all of your guests. Introduce yourself to people you don’t know and welcome them to your reception. Thank them for taking the time to join in on your special day. The event will go by quickly, so don’t delay in taking care of this responsibility. Visit each guest and converse with them, if only for a moment.

Keep an eye on the service and make sure your guests are being served properly. Food and drink should be replenished as the need dictates. If you can’t manage this task, find a friend who can help make sure the party moves along well.

Talk to your DJ or the band ahead of time about the music you want. Guests will make requests, and that’s to be expected, but make sure that the music is varied enough to engage all of the guests. Also make sure that the sound system isn’t too loud. Small rooms don’t need high volumes! If you’re uncomfortable with the volume, chances are good that your guests are too. Feel free to ask the DJ or the band to adjust the sound level to suit the room.

Say Thank You! Don’t forget to thank your guests for coming to your event. You’ll send a formal, written thank you note when the party’s over, but acknowledge each guest and thank them for the time and effort they spent on your behalf.

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London Restauranteur Transforms 007s 747 Into Wedding Paradise

Wazid Shelim is offering UK couples the chance to be on Cloud Nine on their wedding day. The London restauranteur has turned James Bond’s 747 from the most recent Casino Royale movie into a reception hall. The plane, which is grounded at an airfield in Guildford, has been stripped of its airline seats and has been refurbished with tables, chairs and carpets. The two-storey 747 is being used as a wedding reception hall and can seat 350 guests on the lower deck and 100 more on the upper deck.

The plane is five times as large as the town hall in Guildford, so Shelim is also hoping that the plane pulls double-duty as a convention center when it’s not reserved for weddings. He’s already booked two weddings into the unusual venue and believes that couples will be attracted to the unique setting. The idea of an airplane wedding hall came from a colleague who had seen an airplane restaurant in Bangledesh. Shelim also owns the Pride of Asia restaurant in London’s East End.

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