http://news.weddingpath.co.uk/rss.php?feed=newswire WeddingPath NewsWire en-us http://news.weddingpath.co.uk/newsdetail/50/1104/ Catch up with this week on WeddingPath and click on the links to some of our favourite reads and top highlights. Can't find what you're looking for? Go to News Categories on the home page. —————————————————————— 30/06 FASHION Frills Fancy... flounce like Coleen 01/07 GROOMS What a Job... a bartered wedding01/07 REAL WEDDING Vintage Rose... Newby bride 02/07 FASHION Little Maids... finest frocks02/07 WEDDING GOSSIP California Bride 3... 03/07 VENUE Ballroom Best... river views03/07 HONEYMOON Green Dream... eco!04/07 GIFTS Cushion Cosy... comfort gift04/07 RECEPTIONS Paper Petals... favoursHave a great weekend!Photo © Natural Design http://news.weddingpath.co.uk/newsdetail/50/1089/ Celebrating your hen night is a real milestone. A whole step closer to being MrsX, it is also a great time for bonding with new sister-in-laws and old friends. Add a fun activity and you'll be in for a never-to-forget experience. This week we check out murder mystery weekends.A great alternative to the spa or weekend in Europe, you'll die laughing at an Original Murder Weekend. Joy Swift, who created the Murder Weekends concept 27 years ago, says: “Hen parties have an absolute hoot on our Murder Weekends. Alongside the murder puzzle we have hilarious games, a party atmosphere and even the chance to wear silly costumes. Hen parties are really comfortable with the clear one-off price, with no hidden extras, which avoids upsets or friction in the group. It’s also much easier to arrange than a foreign trip!”Joy's murder weekends are cleverly designed to tax the braincells with at least three mysteries to solve. Using TV-quality make-up, topical themes and convincing actors, the whole scenario is incredibly realistic. At the same time it is a lot of fun and is great for bonding. Joy adds, "It’s particularly good if a lot of the party don’t know each other – they won’t be strangers for more than five minutes once they start sleuthing!”Original Murder Weekends begin with a welcome reception at 8pm on Friday night and continue until 12noon on Sunday, when the Detective Inspector concludes his/her summing up. The weekends are run exclusively in Mercure Hotels. Visit murder.co.uk for a full list of dates. For bookings made during 2008, Original Murder Weekends will give the organiser a £50 discount and a bottle of champagne for the bride. click to read more hen ideas > http://news.weddingpath.co.uk/newsdetail/34/1126/ After the months of planning, the lists, the spreadsheets and numerous phone conversations you might think you have everything organised for the perfect wedding - but somewhere a spanner lurks for your works. What do you do when the unforeseen happens? Breathe deep, keep calm and find a solution - it really helps to have a calm and organsised Best Man or Chief Bridesmaid in these situations. Welsh bride, Michelle Smith, and her father climbed into a luxury Bentley limo to get to Michelle's wedding at St Gwladys Church in Bargoed. They only got a minute down the road before the car broke down.  To make matters worse the driver couldn't contact his colleague who was driving the second wedding car. The Bentley had come to a standstill outside a local car dealership and the bride's Dad, Mike Williams, was sent in to explain the situation and to try and borrow a car. On his way into the dealership, Mike saw a friend in her Citroen Picasso and hitched a lift for himself and Michelle. They made it to the church - 20 minutes late, and were met by a very nervous groom. From then on though all went well. The couple went on to honeymoon in Dubai and the Maldives. http://news.weddingpath.co.uk/newsdetail/43/1102/ We know that WeddingPath brides are pretty handy at making favours and wedding invites. So here is a website we think you'll love. Make your own, or choose one of the ready-mades for little papery details. Ann-Marie Edmondson has designed a gorgeous range of stationery, cards, favours, gifts and decorations for weddings, now available online at Natural Design. Perhaps best known for their paper petals, Ann-Marie supplied 300,000 petals for the film Alexander and also had her petals featured on Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire. Using Saa paper, derived from the bark of the mulberry tree, it is a great option for 'green' weddings.A sustainable resource, the mulberry tree naturally sheds its bark 1-2 times a year and can therefore be made into a natural paper without destroying the tree. The pretty hand made and hand coloured petals are £6.95 for 200 - enough to scatter on three or four round tables. We also love these litte heart wreaths (around 25cm hight) made with hand made paper roses (£16.95) and these paper roses in mini terracotta pots (£3.50 each). The little pots make great place settings or favours with a name tag attached. For D.I.Y. brides, you can buy a range of individual stems, including these medium paper rose stems (£1.75) which look lovely placed on a napkin with a name tag. You'll also find pretty ribbons and little essentials such as dry oasis block and dried moss. click to read more decor ideas >Photo © iStockphoto http://news.weddingpath.co.uk/newsdetail/45/1101/ A new set of cushions can transform a living room or bedroom, so make sure you include some on your wish list. We have sourced three fabulous cushion styles with a difference.…………………………………………………VINTAGE STUFFIan Mankin's one-of-a-kind cushionsare made from vintage ticking andgrainsack, overstuffed with duck feathersto give a cosy, plumped up look.Priced £45 each.Contact 020 7722 0997 …………………………………………………FLOWER POWERInject some floral trend into your home with Virgin Vie at Home's gorgeous print cushions in flaming red, including Sevilla.Priced £20 each.Contact 0845 300 8022 virginvieathome.com.……………………………………………………………LOVE CIRCLESVibrant colours and cool textures set Dwell'scushions apart including this circle flockedcushion in gold.Priced £9.95 each.Contact 0845 675 9090 dwell.co.uk. click to read more gift ideas > http://news.weddingpath.co.uk/newsdetail/49/1067/ CELEBRITY SNIPPETSHot couple Tamara and Christian are said to be more in love than ever now, could a wedding be just around the corner? Read more to find out what we think and tell us your verdict. WHO: Tamara Mellon and Christian Slater BACKGROUND: Shoe mogul, Tamara is the president of Jimmy Choo shoes and is said to have found love with heart-throb actor, Christian. Both have been married before, with Christian having two children with his previous partner as well as being known for his run-ins with the law. LOVE SIGNS: The happy couple have been together since summer last year and it looks as if their relationship is going from strength to strength. The couple have been seen partying together at several A-list events with eyes only for each other. Has Tamara finally decided that this is the man for her? OUR VERDICT: Not Very Likely Quite Likely Probably Very Likely click to read more celebrity snippets > Photo © PR Photo http://news.weddingpath.co.uk/newsdetail/34/1125/ Currently, it seems like trying to outspend each other on wedding items is the hot new celeb trend, and Salma Hayek has joined the fray. Her and fiancé, Francois-Henri Pinault, are set to wed next spring in France. The couple have a nine-month old daughter, Valentina Paloma.Now, I'm all for celebrating in style - but the huge sums of money and massive carbon footprints around celebrity weddings is out of hand. I don't want to tar all uber rich celebs with the same brush - many do amazing work for charities and are attempting to minimise their carbon footprints. My Hayek and her fiancé might usually be of that ilk, but I still must question their judgement here (and bear in mind this information is not confirmed, so could be way off mark).The rumoured costs:• $500,000 for a Nicolas Ghesquiere wedding gown • $1,000,000 worth of food • $100,000 for a seven tier wedding cake• $50,000 for a handmade gown for little Valentina The Carbon Footprint:• 400 guests flown in on private jets from around the world• Beluga caviar and fresh lobster flown in• Kobe beef imported from Japan Anybody fancy calculating how many new trees would be required to offset this five-day celebration? http://news.weddingpath.co.uk/newsdetail/47/1100/ We have found one little solution to going green on your honeymoon. Offset your carbon footprint by staying in one of Canada's eco-destinations or stay closer to home and burn eco wood chips at Dromoland Castle in Ireland. CANADA CALLINGClayquot Wilderness Resort, British Columbia, CanadaAn ultra luxurious, four-star eco destination, the Clayquot Wilderness Resort is a collection of luxury canvas tents located in the fragile Clayoquot Sound Biosphere reserve, near the seaside village of Tofino. Investing $3 million, over the next five years, into research, conservation and enhancement, the resort invites guest participation at any level, and is funded solely by resort revenues.Its Eco Adventure package includes Vancouver-Outpost return floatplane fare, horsedrawn wagon shuttle, deluxe Outpost accommodations, all gourmet meals, snacks, alcohol, unguided activities (kayaking, canoeing, hiking, mountain biking, fishing), and guided activities (horseback riding, ocean and/or fresh water fishing, whale and bear watching, trekking, skeet, fly tying clinics, kayaking and canoeing, and mountain bike riding). Guests can also enjoy complimentary use of the massage tent and unlimited use of Outpost saunas and hot tubs.Price: A 7 night package costs from £5700 per person, based on double occupancy.Offer valid from 22 June to 27 August. For information go to Preferredboutique.com. CASTLE ROMANCEDromoland Castle, Newmarket-On-Fergus, County Clare, Ireland One of the most famous baronial castles in Ireland, Dromoland is located on 365 acres of its own estate. A 16th century castle with 21st Century values, it is taking key steps to reduce its carbon footprint. Electricity is sourced from a supplier that has an environmental impact of 488.10g of CO2 emissions per kWh, this is 12% lower than the average for Ireland of 549.1g per kWh. Energy efficient lighting is used throughout the castle, equating to a saving of 44 tonnes of CO2 emissions. The hotel is replacing all of its refrigeration units in the main castle kitchen with highly insulated units. And a wood chip burner has been installed to reduce the amount of oil used for heating and hot water. The use of carbon neutral woodchip instead of oil will reduce their carbon footprint by approximately 500 tones per annum. Enjoy two nights accommodation in a Deluxe Bedroom with full Irish breakfast on both mornings including dinner for two on one evening of your choice in the Earl of Thomond Restaurant.Price: £715 per room, per night.Offer valid from 8th April until 30th September 2008To find out more or make a booking log onto Preferredhotels.com. click to read more honeymoon ideas > http://news.weddingpath.co.uk/newsdetail/44/1099/ STAR & GARTER, PUTNEYA newly-opened venue by the river in Putney is a dream setting for a glittering wedding. Its stunning ballroom and sweeping staircase date back to the 1800s and have never looked better.Star & Garter, a sophisticated and elegant west-end style wine lounge and function room, opened last month. Dating back to the 18oo’s, it is a renowned local landmark along the bank of the River Thames. Following its major renovation internally and externally, its original features are immaculately restored. One of the main architectural features of Star & Garter is its sweeping staircase which leads up to the Ballroom – one of two functions spaces available with a capacity for entertaining 220 people. With its riverside location and balcony overlooking the river, the Star & Garter is the perfect venue to hold a stylish wedding. Boasting a specialist cellar with 100 top quality wines in addition to draft beers and spirits, the resident somellier, Will Buckland, will help you choose your wedding day drinks. While the catering team offers anything from canapés to seated dinners and everything in between, including buffets, food-stations and a range of mini main courses served as ‘bowl food’. Packages are available from as little as £39 per head, including venue hire during the week days or function room hire at other times. Otherwise, full hire for a wedding ceremony and reception is from £1000, including full bar facilities. To find out more call events manager Clare Page Windsor on 020 8788 0345 or go to Star & Garter. click to read more venue ideas > http://news.weddingpath.co.uk/newsdetail/49/1098/ Leigh is four planning weeks away from her big Scottish day, all organised from across the pond in California. This week she enjoys the American tradition of a bridal shower - umbrellas to the ready ladies! As our wedding is a decidedly cross-cultural affair I felt that I wanted to incorporate some American traditions into the proceedings. My first encounter with the American way of doing things was somewhat a baptism of fire as I was introduced to the concept of Bridal Showers.The Bridal Shower is thought to have originated from the days of dowry, when if a bride’s family was unable to provide a dowry for her then the women of the community would club together and present her with gifts that would allow her to set up a home and thus allow her to marry the man of her dreams. Quite heartwarming really!The friends of my beloved’s mother organized mine a few weeks ago and very kindly presented me with the photographs this week which I thought I’d share with you. A shower usually starts with canapés and cocktails followed by lunch then the opening of presents! Showers can be arranged around a theme, for example kitchenware or lingerie (I have a friend who was given a thong with a veil at hers!). Games are often played, such as a quiz about the couple or a competition to create the best wedding dress from toilet paper…What I quickly discovered is that it is quite exhausting to open gifts! I also received a surprise when I opened a present that my lovely bridesmaids had organized. Currently thousands of miles away, I, of course, burst into tears!Top TrendAs bouquet and garter tosses make their way across the ocean, British brides are catching on to the bridal shower too. You could be showered with gifts very soon. click to read more planning ideas >Photo © iStockphoto