Wedding Colour Themes and Inspiration

When it comes to choosing a wedding colours theme, it can be challenging to choose a colour and shade or range of shades that feels fresh, fabulous, exciting and shows your personality.  You may feel like it has all been done before, and it likely has, but personalizing your particular wedding colour palette is just a matter of picking variations of shades and combining them in a creative new way.

Here are a few colours to think about for inspiration if you are planning your wedding for 2013:

Emerald:
The colour range here starts with sour greens of Pistachio and Midori to the cool blue-greens of Cool Mint and Beach-glass.

Grayed Jade:
Think the 1960s, Valley of the Dolls and Cindy Sherman. Misty Jade is the coolest colour to watch a great choice for your bridesmaids, cakes and floral greens.

Dusk Blue:
Thought of as a neutral, this shade encompasses Deep Lagoon, Spritely Seafoam, Bright Calypso, Fresh Ivory, Pale Lemonade and Endless Midnight.

Tender Shoots:
This bright green shade is the perfect way to add a hit of juice to your wedding colour palette.

Lemon Zest:
Sunny, bright, playful and optimistic, what more could you want in a wedding colour? Citron Yellow is a great shade choice for florals and cakes.

African Violet:
This soft shade of purple is a perfect complement to Lemon Zest ideal for your wedding colours.

Linen:
Clean, simple and classic this tone is a perfect pick for an elegant celebration.

Monaco Blue:
This cool blue is bold and beautiful and just a little richer and more interesting than navy shades which have been popular wedding colour choices for a little while now.

Here at Spirit Wedding Cars we understand how important all the details and attention to detail that is required on your special day and that is why we try to match the colour of the ribbon and bows we dress our wedding cars in to your wedding colour theme.  We are happy to send out samples to help you choose.

In this picture our 2 Door Beauford and Rolls Royce are dressed in Lavendar ribbons and bows.

For more information please do not hesitate to get in touch.  Our contact details can be found here: http://www.spiritweddingcars.co.uk/contact.html

Hi Matt,
Just an email to say thank you so much for driving us about on our wedding day (and making sure my dress was ok!)!
You were absolutely brilliant and every single person at the wedding said how beautiful the car was inside and out!
We had so much fun driving about up by the Suspension Bridge and Park Street.  And your idea to stop for pictures near the Lord Mayor's house was brilliant!  I know Ross (the photographer) was absolutely over the moon at getting the opportunity to do something a bit different!

We would absolutely recommend you to anyone getting married as you made the day an absolute joy, so thank you again!

We are also just about to go on and vote for you on the Wedding Industry Awards, we'll keep our fingers crossed!

Best wishes,

Ashleigh and CJ



To see our cars, please visit our website: www.spiritweddingcars.co.uk

Hi Wendy,
We all would like to say what a Fantastic and Professional Job Matthew made of making a Fantastic day for Ashleigh and CJ.
Regards,
Mike and all our Family and Friends
Ps Tell Matthew I have Two more Daughters to Marry in the future.



For more information about Spirit Wedding Cars please visit our website:
www.spiritweddingcars.co.uk

Wedding Transport Thank-you

Dear Matthew and Wendy,

 

Thank you for all your help in the lead up to our big day and thank you for the quality and friendliness of your drivers on the day - they were just brilliant. We had a very happy day and are only now really coming down to earth (especially as today is my first day back at work).

 

Many thanks again,

 

Peter & Naomi

 

 

 

For more information about Spirit Wedding Cars please visit our website:

www.spiritweddingcars.co.uk

More happy brides & grooms

Hi Matthew and Wendy,

We just got back from Honeymoon on Friday so catching up with everything.  Thank you so very much for your impeccable service on our day, it really was invaluable.  We have made our votes for you giving you 100 and it is totally deserved we also added the following so hope we can help you win the award you very clearly deserve.

Our wedding was taking place over the whole weekend and remaining in the same venue for the Ceremony and Reception.  After some deliberating I decided I wanted to stay at home the night before which meant we needed transport.  After searching the internet we found a number of companies that we emailed with our dates and requirements.  Spirit were very quick to come back to me and when your organising a wedding this is so important as you email so many people that you easily forget who you've contacted when you've not had a response.  We communicated to arrange to see their cars but soon found out that they were due to go on holiday.  Obviously we needed to get something booked urgently before the specific car we wanted from them or other companies were to get booked out by another couple and so instead of just palming us off until they returned they arranged for the cars to be with their parents at their house.  They were so accommodating seeing us on a Sunday as my now Husband works away a lot in the week and I quite often at weekends.  They were so friendly offering us a cup of tea and showing us their stunning cars.  Our venue also had an incredibly steep slope that some vehicles struggle to get up and so we explained this to Spirit who were not concerned at all and said they would go and have a look themselves to try it and of course they were right.  They rallied around all morning picking my dad up from the venue first to bring him to me before we got in and set off together. The car, as was the driver (which was the lovely Father we had already met when viewing the car) was a stunning vision as it came around the corner.  Beautifully clean and totally magical.  Incredibly professional and friendly are words that describe Spirit completely and I shall be recommending them to anyone I know who would needs vehicles as they really go the extra mile and offer an impeccable service.  Thank you Spirit Wedding Cars.

Thanks again

Charlotte & Phil xxx

Wedding Car Hire - Thank you

Dear Spirit Wedding Cars (Matthew),

Just to say thank you so much for being our driver, veil & dress arranger and barman on our special day!

Your service was amazing and I will recommend you for certain.

Kindest regards.

James & Christine.

If you wish to see our range of cars please visit our website: http://www.spiritweddingcars.co.uk

Our Wedding Car Driver - Phil - An email from a customer

Hi Matthew & Wendy,

I have been waiting for our photographs to come back before I mailed you so I could include a few shots for you, but also to say thank you for your service. The driver Phil was simply amazing. He arrived nice and early and slipped into our day as if he was an old friend. My 8 year old nephew who was our page boy became the errand boy in the last hour and Phil took it upon himself to help James out with the tasks he was being asked to do.

Phil then took my mother, maid of honour and James to the church returning to collect me and my father. He organised us well and put us both in the car quickly realising that we had now turned into balls of nerves. He quickly started a conversation which enchanted me and my father out of our nervousness. Anyway half way to church he was telling us a story about how a bride forgot her bouquet!! "Oh no.... where’s my bouquet"!!! He did a uey and took us back home, took our key and went into the house for not just my bouquet but also my father’s button hole, which he then proceeded to put on my dad.

He was so well equipped and ready for me with tissues and water as well. Such a lovely touch!

At the church he was wonderful and calming and until my photos arrived I did not realise but he actually carried my train into the church for me! So lovely.


After the wedding he was ready and waiting for us and had made a few friends in the crowd too so I’ve been told.

Overall I have to tell you that he was simply amazing and I was so pleased he became part of my day, I only hope I remembered his name correctly there was so much going on but he was a rock for us guiding us through what needed to happen!!

So thank you from me, keep up the great work and I hope you continue to make the morning as special as Phil did to me.

I hope you like the photos.

Kind regards and best wishes.

Katie & Jay Tucker.

The 2013 Wedding Industry Awards

Here at Spirit Wedding Cars we were delighted to be nominated by a recent customer for a Wedding Industry Award in the South West Transport Supplier category.  ....... So we have taken the plunge and entered.

These are the only independent, national wedding industry awards.  They are voted for solely by past-clients of the wedding suppliers who have entered.  This, together with a rigorous judging process and expert judging panel ensures that the results of the awards have real meaning for entrants and anyone who is organising a wedding and looking for the best wedding suppliers.

To be eligible to vote our customers wedding is to be between 01/11/11 to 31/10/12, questions asked when voting centre around the quality of the end to end service provided by entrants.

To vote for us, please click here.

Another Happy Couple!

Dear Matthew,

We just wanted to say a massive thank you for the service you provided on our wedding day on Friday 27th July.

The car was more beautiful than we could have hoped for and it got so many comments from our guests!

You have been incredibly helpful from the beginning and it was lovely to have such a nice, friendly service to top it all off.

We will be sure to recommend you in the future.

Many thanks once again,

Carly & Dean Carslake

Wedding Fayre Season – Autumn 2012

When planning a wedding you are often talking to a large number of suppliers from cake to dress makers.  This can become overwhelming when looking for ideas, comparing suppliers and negotiating prices.  When looking to meet local suppliers, face to face, wedding fayres are the best place to do so, giving you the chance to look at the venue as well as meeting lots of different suppliers.

The real value to be gained from a wedding fayre is meeting the actual supplier(s) up front.  With something as personal as a wedding, it is important to establish a good relationship with all your suppliers.  You want them to be confident and professional, make you feel relaxed, listen to your requirements and be able to offer advice when required.  Talking to suppliers at a wedding fayre should give you a good indication as to whether you want to hire them.  Many suppliers that exhibit at wedding fayres have something unique to offer, and feel that by showcasing their products and services, the wedding couples will feel inspired and want to find out more.

Spirit Wedding Cars are exhibiting at the following events, so why not pop along and see us:

• Thursday 30th August 2012 - 12noon to 8.00pm - The Avon Gorge Hotel, Clifton

• Sunday 2nd September 2012 - 10.30am to 3.00pm - Webbington Hotel & Spa, Somerset

• Sunday 9th September 2012 - 11.00am to 3.00pm - Aztec Hotel & Spa, Bristol

• Sunday 9th September 2012 - 10.30am to 4.30pm - Rookery Manor, Nr Weston-super-Mare

• Sunday 16th September 2012 - 11.00am to 3.30pm - Brasserie Blanc - Bakers & Cutlers Halls, Bristol

• Sunday 23rd September 2012 - 11.00am to 3.30pm - Cadbury House, Congresbury

• Sunday 23rd September 2012 - 10.30am to 4.30pm - The Winter Gardens, Weston-super-Mare


Portishead Wedding Network will also be attending the following events:

• Sunday 2nd September 2012 - 10.30am to 3.00pm - Webbington Hotel & Spa, Somerset

• Sunday 16th September 2012 - 11.00am to 3.30pm - Brasserie Blanc - Bakers & Cutlers Halls, Bristol

Wedding Car Thank-you's

Some emails we have received from clients for our wedding cars services in the last week:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Matthew,
I would just like to say thank you very much for your services on Sunday.
The car looked fabulous and had so many lovely comments from our guests at The Woodlands.  It was a really enjoyable and fun ride despite the rain!  You also looked very smart and thank you for escorting us under your brolly!
We won't hesitate in recommending you to anybody who will listen!
All the best,
Emma and Barry Smith

Car – 4 Door Beauford Convertible
Wedding Date – Sunday 5th August 2012

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Hi Matthew,
Hope you are well.
We have got our photos back and it has been lovely looking back at them.
Thank you again for all your hard work and the car looked beautiful.
As promised here are a few photos for you to use on the website if you wish to.
Many thanks
Sarah-jayne

Car – 4 Door Beauford Convertible
Wedding Date – Sunday 13th May 2012

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know it was a while ago now, but I loved the car (2 door Beauford) and Matthew your dad was an absolute gentlemen!  Couldn't have asked for more!
Thank you from Lisa and Cei Teare

Car – 2 Door Beauford Convertible
Wedding Date – Saturday 21st April 2012

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more information about our services please visit our website:

www.spiritweddingcars.co.uk

Spirit Wedding Cars - Customer Feedback

In the post today we received this lovely thank-you card:

"To All at Spirit Wedding Cars,
Thank you for providing us with a great service for our wedding day.  We are very grateful for the effort you put in and the professionalism you showed throughout.  We would have no hesitation in recommending you to others.
Yours faithfully.
Mr & Mrs Ducker."

We also had another happy customer post on our facebook page:

"Thank-you for your services at my wedding on Friday. Your driver was kind, courteous and very professional. The car was comfortable and well driven.
Will highly recommend!
Thank-you again xx"


For more information on Spirit Wedding Cars please visit our website: http://www.spiritweddingcars.co.uk/ or Like our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Spirit-Wedding-Cars/22566959876

Wedding Competition & Wedding Car Special Offer

Wedding Competition:

Please like the Spirit Wedding Cars Facebook page and when we reach 100, 125 and 150 likes we will post a question on our Facebook page.

The competition prizes at 100 and 125 will be a bottle of Bucks Fizz and at 150 likes will be a bottle of Champagne.

So get liking and get your Facebook friends to like Spirit Wedding Cars for your chance to win.

 - Enter the competition(s) by answering the questions in the Comments field against the post containing the question.
 - Likes and entries by people only (i.e. not pages or groups etc.)
 - Winning entries will be selected at random and announced on Facebook within 1 week of the closing date and time
 - Entries must be made by the closing date and time specified with question post

Wedding Transport Special Offer:

Book 1 or 2 of our Jaguar XJ8 Wedding Car’s for a wedding to take place between 1st October 2012 and 31st December 2012 and state reference SWC0001 to receive a free bottle of Champagne for the bridal car.



- Special offers apply to new bookings post launch of special offer
- Special offer reference must be quoted at the time of booking
- Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer

Wendy - Spirit Wedding Cars

Honeymoon's

Our honeymoon was 3 nights in Las Vegas including a trip to the amazing Grand Canyon followed by 10 nights in Florida, checking out the Disney and Universal Studio theme parks.

The honeymoon period which can be described as the period just after the wedding when things are at their best.  Usually starts with the honeymoon itself i.e. the custom of a newlywed couple going on a holiday together.

As with every element of your wedding there are so many options to choose from and think about.  It’s the perfect opportunity to go all out and do whatever you want wherever you want or can afford to do.

Some things to think about could include:

• UK or further afield
• Weather at your chosen destination
• Your budget
• Your holiday schedule e.g. worship the sun, sea and sand or go explore and take in some activities
• How far / how much time do you want to spend travelling

If it’s a UK honeymoon after your wedding you are after then here at Spirit Wedding Cars we recommend the BlueBells and SeaShells website http://www.bluebellsandseashells.co.uk/ which offers an extensive range of accommodation from Bed and Breakfasts to Cottages.

On the other hand if you prefer to spend this precious time together in a more exotic land then Independent Travel Experts can help, details can be found here http://www.pwnweddings.co.uk/independent-travel-experts.





Wendy.

Spirit Wedding Cars
http://www.spiritweddingcars.co.uk

WEDDING RINGS

One of the traditions of a wedding ceremony is the exchanging of rings.  The ring itself symbolises the complete circle of life without breaks, as your marriage will be after the fuss of the big day has died down.  You will wear your ring everyday so it is a really important decision to make when you purchase them.


There are many different styles and materials to choose from including:
• Classic band
• Gold
• Titanium
• White Gold
• Platinum
• Two-colour
• Engraved
• Diamond set
• Wishbone

Whether it’s off the shelf or made to order make sure that there is provision in your budget and time allocated in your plan to make sure you get the right one for you and your other half.

To help you achieve this you may wish to shop together or have matching rings.  What about matching your wedding ring to your engagement ring.  Many people will wear their engagement ring and wedding ring together.  Having something to match it to will help you make your decision.  You may want to visit the same jeweller you got the engagement ring from.

It is also important to consider your lifestyle.  Rings should worn and bring out the best in your hands, not hinder them, especially if you use your hands a lot for your job and you do not want to damage your ring.

The three most popular are yellow gold, white gold and platinum. White gold is popular because it coordinates with both silver and gold and is less expensive than platinum (which does the same, but is much stronger).  Yellow gold is traditional.

After 10 years of marriage ours have so far stood the test of time and hopefully will continue to do so for many more years to come.

Wendy - Spirit Wedding Cars

PS: Don't forget to visit the Spirit Wedding Cars website for information on our great cars

Wedding and Marriage Reading

This is one of our favorite readings which we use when we renewed our wedding vows last weekend.  We hope you enjoy as much as us.


Matthew & Wendy
Spirit Wedding Cars

What Does Marriage Mean In Today's World?

by Teresa Ling

We live in a world where the old-fashioned social pressures to conform have all but gone.


No longer does a young woman wait for her husband to give her a new independence from her parent's home. And society no longer frowns upon couples who choose not to marry.


So why get married at all?


Perhaps when two people decide that, in the absence of these conformities, this is something they actually want to do – for themselves, for their families and for its own sake, that the meaning of marriage has shifted to the same extent as times have moved on.


Now, a cynic might say that a piece of paper alone will not guarantee that two people will stay together for life...... and a cynic might have a point.


But ridden of any outside pressure, the vows and intentions are totally pure and unadulterated.


There cannot really be a better guarantee than this.

Wedding Reception Seating Plan

A wedding seating plan allows you to choose who sits where and who sits with whom. This allows guests to find their ‘place’ in the reception room quickly, and also helps your caterer to know exactly where guests with specific menu choices are sitting. Finally, it means you can seat people together who you feel will get on well (or apart if you think they won’t!).

The shape of the room will play a large part in determining the way in which the tables are arranged to create a great atmosphere.

Top Tips

• Remember, if the tables are spread too far apart your guests will feel very isolated at their tables. If you place the tables too close together guests will feel uneasy and not have any room to extend their chairs.
• Spare a thought for elderly guests. If your evening entertainment is in the same room as your wedding breakfast, it can be best to sit them furthest away from the music.
• Keep all children relatively close to their parents so they can be supervised.
• Traditionally, parents of the bride and groom sit on the top table. However, in some cases, this doesn't work well. If, for example, parents are divorced and perhaps remarried and relationships are strained, consider an alternative option.
• Pay particular consideration to guests who know very few people, sit them with guests who will be friendly and welcoming. Equally, separate guests who you know don’t get on well. Your wedding is not the time to mend family feuds or force friends to get along.
• Hand out seating cards when the guests arrive with the table name or number inside. There is a traditional order for seating the bridal party. If rectangular, the top table seating is in this order, from left to right facing the guests: chief bridesmaid, groom’s father, bride’s mother, bride, bride’s father, groom’s mother, best man. 

Picture shows the layout of the ballroom at The Winter Gardens, Weston-super-Mare.

We hope this helps.

Wendy & Matthew

Spirit Wedding Cars

Wedding Music

Planning the music for a wedding ceremony and reception, especially your wedding can be a daunting task.  Don’t let it be more complicated than it needs to be!

From the wedding ceremony to the drinks reception and through to your first dance, the music you have on your wedding day can create the perfect atmosphere.

When you are planning your big day there are many little things to be concerned about (as is also the case with other parts of your wedding day planning).  Fortunately, music planning can be broken down into a series of steps.

Step 1 - Start off with the basics.  Where are you getting married and when?  How big will the ceremony be?  Learn what your church or venue expectations are regarding music.  Figure out what you want the general character of the music to be.  How much music will you need to find?

Step 2 - Start exploring music ideas and make some initial choices.  Roughly piece together ceremony music choices that give you the atmosphere you’re looking for.

Step 3 - Get the musicians who will make this music reality for you!  Such as Luna Music (a fellow Portishead Wedding Network member).

Step 4 - With your musicians, finalize your music choices.

Step 5 - Keep an eye on things in the weeks and months until your ceremony nears to make sure that progress is being made.

Step 6 - Take care of all the last-minute details.

Research by Spirit Wedding Cars

Does your Wedding need a Toast Master?

I am sure that many of us have been to weddings where the organisation  – shall we say – "left a little to be desired". Perhaps the wedding was very well organised but the agenda wasn't being communicated and so effectively it all fell apart.

Portishead has its very own Toastmaster and Paul Maltby is happy to share his thoughts on the way in which a toastmaster can make your wedding run smoothly:

These include:

• Ensuring the venue is ready.
• Receive and greet your guests as they arrive to the reception and organize the receiving line, announce guests to the hosts.
• Liaise with the caterers to ensure the meal is served on time.
• Ensure that all guests are seated at the appropriate time for the meal.
• Co-ordinate acceptance of gifts.
• Organize and announce the cutting of the cake.
• Announce the toasts and the speakers.
• Assist in the presenting gifts or bouquets.
• Announce and escort the retiring couple at the end of the wedding breakfast.
• Say Grace if required or introduce the guest who is to perform this duty.
• Introduce the formal speakers and assist with any presentations.
• Make sure that everything runs according to plan.

If you would like to know more contact Paul please click here.

Paul will be at the Portishead Wedding Network Wedding Fayre on Saturday 25th February 2012 if you would like to meet him.

Wedding Costs - How much is enough?

Industry sources state that the average cost of a wedding in the UK has fallen to its lowest level since it peaked at over £20,000 in 2008 and is now estimated to be £15,541 (that includes £3,000 for a honeymoon).

You don't have to spend a fortune though to have the wedding you want, many get wed for much less than £10,000 and we have met brides who did it for £5,000.

The mere fact of contemplating a wedding with all its unknown and associated costs, can be enough to put the idea on hold and that would be a shame. Many of get wed for much less with the help of careful planning, family and friends. So we know that you can have the day you want without breaking the bank.

As couples get savvy with their cash, it is often not always discounts they are looking for, but a bit of guidance, a few tips and hints on what to do, and what is the 'norm' these days? The truth is anything goes these days and we have found that there's no set figure and it's a question of priorities, but as more couples now pay for their own wedding it can be useful to know how the costs can stack up and what you can do about it? There are simple areas where savings can be made, and no-one need even notice!

The vast majority of the cost of a wedding is spent on food and drink and the hire of the wedding venue. The easiest areas to cut costs are to reduce the number of guests and to take advantage of late deals offered by venues.

Source of article : Wedding Whispers (http://www.wedding-whispers.co.uk/)

The Value of Wedding Fairs

When planning a wedding you are often talking to a large number of suppliers from cake to dress makers. This can become overwhelming when looking for ideas, comparing suppliers and negotiating prices.  Newly engaged couples quite often look like a small animal caught in the headlights of a car.

With the wedding industry booming on the internet, it’s a good source of information when researching into ideas, especially with the multitude of directories and blogs.  Magazines also provide inspiration as does watching many of the wedding television programmes – such as “Don’t tell the Bride”.  However, when looking to meet local suppliers, face to face, a wedding fair is the best place to do so.

Wedding fairs take place throughout the year.  They are often hosted at wedding venues, giving you the chance to look at the venue as well as meeting lots of different suppliers.

To get the most out of a wedding fair, it is worth thinking about why you are attending:
• Is it to get general inspiration?
• Is it to look around the venue?
• Are you looking to source a specific type of supplier?
• Have you made an appointment with one of the suppliers?

Take time to research in advance, as it will help you to bench mark what is on offer, negotiate, and compare the value of any special offers that many suppliers put on at wedding fairs. Sometimes, it is possible to get a good discount at these events.

The real value to be gained from a wedding fair is getting to meet the actual supplier(s) up front.  With something as personal as a wedding, it is important to establish a good relationship with all your suppliers.

You want them to be confident and professional, make you feel relaxed, listen to your requirements and be able to offer advice when required.  Talking to suppliers at a wedding fair should give you a good indication as to whether you want to hire them.

Many suppliers that come to wedding fairs have something unique to offer, and feel that by showcasing their products and services, the wedding couples will feel inspired and want to find out more.


Couples often bring friends or parents with them to wedding fairs.  This is a great idea as it can help to give the family the feeling of being part of the big event when looking at ideas and options.  Often suppliers will provide samples (e.g. a taste of wedding cake), as you go around the fair, so getting a second opinion can be useful.  Spirit Wedding Cars like you to take a seat in the cars so you can visualise where your dress will go and your arrival photograph opportunities.

If you are thinking about attending a wedding fair, take a look at our Wedding Fair page (http://www.spiritweddingcars.co.uk/news.html) for information on local events or Like our Facebook page for regular updates on upcoming events (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Spirit-Wedding-Cars/22566959876).

Matthew & Wendy

Spirit Wedding Cars