bridesmaid

How to book stag and hen parties without breaking the bank

Stag and hen parties - men at a bbq

So you’ve booked the wedding, and the first thing on your friends’ minds? The stag and hen parties, obviously.

With a range of budgets, people living in different parts of the country and work/family life making availability an issue, it can be a real headache trying to decide what to do and arrange an event. So at Vows & Venues, we’ve done some of the research for you by checking out unusual stag and hen parties which won’t break the bank…

Camping and glamping​

Glamping is more popular than ever before, with a new survey revealing 10% of holiday park visitors are tent dwellers. For those not into roughing it, a pod or treehouse can offer pretty much the same luxury as a hotel room.

Britain’s Best Bridesmaid top tips revealed

best bridesmaid

A bridesmaid’s duty is to stop her bestie from going full bridezilla, yet bridal parties are consumed by drama far too often! As the summer wedding season kicks off, group travel experts Red7 reveals the top five tips from the 2018 cohort of Britain’s Best Bridesmaid competition winners. 

 

1. Brides love surprises - make her feel special.

Britain’s Best Bridesmaid winner, Nicole Hutton, surprised her bride by secretly arranging for friends and family to meet her in Las Vegas. Bride Elizabeth Upward says: “When I arrived in Vegas she was waiting at the airport with a limousine and champagne!”

The Search is on For Britain’s Best Bridesmaid 

Best bridesmaid competition

The hunt is on for Britain’s Best Bridesmaid with stag and hen expert Red7 leading the search.

Did your Bridesmaid go above and beyond to make your big day the best it could be? Perhaps she created a perfect bridal survival kit or took charge of the wedding to ensure that bridezilla did not surface. 

Whatever the reason, if your Bridesmaid brought the essence of #squadgoals, Red7 wants to know! 

Red7 is the original and best specialist stag and hen travel agents and boasts over two decades of experience. To honour the hard work that bridesmaids put into weddings, Red7 is asking couples country-wide to nominate their Best Bridesmaid with heart-warming and remarkable tales of why they should be crowned the nation’s finest. 

What not to do when planning a hen do

planning a hen do

So, your best friend has asked you to be her chief bridesmaid, and you’re starting to think about planning her hen do. This isn’t an easy task, as you have to organise a celebration that the bride-to-be will love, while also considering what her entire party — some of whom you might have never met — will enjoy.

We’ve already written a range of hen do guides that cover the steps you should take to ensure you plan the best hen do possible. So, this time we’re going to outline some of the common mistakes you should avoid making to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible.

Don’t make it too expensive

Bridal Wear By Esme

Bridal Wear by Esme Ronald Joyce

Having been established for 30 years we can offer a wealth of knowledge in helping you choose your dream wedding dress.

We carry a large stock of wedding gowns from leading designers which include Ronald Joyce, Mori Lee and Ellis, also the Mori Lee Julietta range which is especially for sizes 16 and above.

We are stockists of the Amanda Wyatt bridesmaid collection which comes in flowergirl sizes age 2-10 years, teenagers 11-15 years and adult sizes all to match.


Flowerstyle Manchester

Flowerstyle Manchester

Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life. It’s a day to be remembered and treasured. Let Flowerstyle help create some of the magic for your perfect day. Flowers play an important role as they set a scene, add style and create moods. They help to fix your colour theme and provide finishing touches to the wedding outfits.

We will cover everything from including the bridal and bridesmaid bouquets, wedding party corsages and boutonnieres, wedding ceremony displays, wedding function suite floral arrangements, table centre-pieces and any other finishing touches you may require.


Alexis Dove’s unusual and alternative engagement rings

Alexis Dove’s unusual and alternative engagement rings

Alexis Dove’s unusual and alternative engagement rings are perfect for couples looking for a truly unique and personal piece of jewellery to symbolize their love.

In the picturesque Sussex county town of Lewes, Alexis Dove designs jewellery Alexis invites brides to her workshop to assist her in designing their very own special piece of jewellery incorporating Alexis’ signature vintage style. Brides can choose from a huge selection of Alexis’ precious rare stones and pick the metal and finish they are set in.  This service comes with a glowing recommendation from Olympic Champion Victoria Pendleton who commissioned Alexis Dove to design her own wedding jewellery.

Essential bridesmaids’ trends for 2016

It could be argued that by being a bridesmaid you have the best of both worlds. You’re in the thick of the wedding limelight yet you don’t have the intense pressure the bride and groom face. Yes, we have to admit, being a bridesmaid is a lot of fun. That said, you still have a responsibility to look fabulous and in-keeping with the bride and the tone of the wedding.

If you have the privilege of being a bridesmaid in the forthcoming months, you may want to consider the following essential bridesmaids’ trends for 2016.

The tea length dress