Charity Prize Draw

The Guild of Professional Wedding Services Wedding Fayre on Sunday, 5 January 2014. A 'Charity Prize Draw' in support of The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation. With 25 winners all receiving Discounts plus 'Same Value Donation' to the Foundation who organise and fund weddings for terminally ill people. Visit the Guild website.

Latest 'Gloucestershire & Wiltshire' brochure

The latest edition of County Bride's 'Gloucestershire & Wiltshire' brochure is now well and truly 'out there' being seen in the respective areas. This is our 4th combined brochure - and the 11th since we first went to print in 2001. (We have also published a similar number of 'Bath' and 'Bristol' brochures)

The brochures are given away free-of-charge at the majority of Wedding Fayres held in the region. They are normally placed inside the bride's goodie-bag, and the handy DL size of the brochure enables it to be easily transferable to handbag or pocket.

County Bride's 2 brochures are given out at approximately 120 wedding fayres across the 4 areas covered (Bath, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire), and plays a significant part in producing approximately 50,000 individual visits to County Bride's 'Wedding Fayres' pages.

View more information on the County Bride brochures.

Visit the County Bride website for a complete list of wedding services including Chair Covers & Sashes, Wedding Photographers, Marquee Hire, Wedding Cakes, Florists, Licensed Wedding Venues,
Hen & Stag, Wedding Cars ...and many more.

County Bride Store

County Bride have now added a SHOPPING facility
to their 'Wedding Services' website. The SHOP is accessible from various links on the County Bride website.
A cross-section of products, including great ideas for Wedding Gifts; Clothes for the Bride, Groom and Guests; and Hen Night 'Accessories' can be purchased from the store.
There is also a comprehensive selection of William & Kate Mementos on show.

Why not take a look at the County Bride Store.

The County Bride website contains a comprehensive list of Wedding Services including Chair Covers & Sashes, Wedding Photographers
and Videographers, Marquee Hire, Wedding Caterers, Florists, Licensed Wedding Venues, Hen & Stag, Wedding Cars, Wedding Doves ...and many more.

Wedding Fayres on the increase

During the past 12 months we have noticed an increase in the number of Wedding Fayres in the areas in which County Bride operates. As more premises are granted a license to carry out the Wedding Ceremony, so there is the obvious move by the proprietors of new Licensed Venues to 'showcase' their facilities. And what better way to do this than to hold a Wedding Fayre or Open Day/Evening.

A successful fayre will normally attract between 75 - 150 brides. Wedding World Fayres, who County Bride work closely with, regularly attract over 300 brides to their shows.
When you consider that for every bride who attends a Wedding Fayre/Open Day there will be 3 people on average in that party, you begin to realise how beneficial to the venue these events have become.

With figures showing that 90% of brides purchase local services for their wedding, it is not difficult to understand the 'chemistry' created at these fayres with many local Wedding Service Providers attending.

County Bride displays a regularly updated list of Wedding Fayres on their website free-of-charge, for the areas of Bath, Bristol, Gloucestershire, N Somerset, SE Wales and Wiltshire.

Visit the County Bride website for a complete list of wedding services including Chair Covers & Sashes, Wedding Photographers
and Videographers, Marquee Hire, Wedding Caterers, Florists, Licensed Wedding Venues, Hen & Stag, Wedding Cars, Wedding Doves ...and many more.

Wedding Etiquette: Roles & Duties - The Bride

The Bride:
Possibly the most important day in a woman's life is her wedding day. A day where, as the bride, she is rightfully the 'star of the show'. She is instrumental in the organisation of her day from start to finish. She would usually begin planning months in advance, even up to the day itself. She would be involved in decision making in virtually every part of the wedding planning, from the wedding cake to the dress, the flowers, the date and type of ceremony - and much more! The ability to organise whilst not offending others is a useful skill during planning. Remember that the wedding is also a big day for both sets of parents. Parents will undoubtedly appreciate any consultation and their opinions may prove beneficial. Ultimately, the couple have the final say on decision making. The bride and the groom would also greet guests at the reception.

Visit the County Bride website for more on Wedding Etiquette, also find a complete list of wedding services including Chair Covers, Wedding Photographers, Marquee Hire, Wedding Cakes, Hen & Stag, Gifts & Favours ...and many more.

'Bath & Bristol' brochure

The Wedding Fayre season is now in full swing and County Bride will soon be displaying their new combined 'Bath & Bristol' wedding services brochure at the majority of the area's events. The brochure is currently with the printer and is due to be distributed by the end of August 2010.
This follows the successful launch of the 'Gloucestershire & Wiltshire' brochure back in January of this year.
The brochure contains forewords from 'Bath & North East Somerset Council' and from 'Destination Bristol' who continue to support the aims of County Bride to furnish members of the public with an easily accessible guide to all Wedding Services. (visit their websites from the respective County Bride Home pages)

As stated in a previous blog, merging the 4 areas of Bath, Bristol, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire into 2 areas provides greater value and exposure for the advertiser and better choice for the bride. (The County Bride website will continue to cover the 4 individual areas)

The brochures will be produced annually and distributed Free of Charge to key outlets. (Click here to see more information on the brochure and the areas of distribution)

Visit the County Bride website for a complete list of wedding services including Chair Covers & Sashes, Wedding Photographers, Marquee Hire, Wedding Cakes, Florists, Licensed Wedding Venues,
Hen & Stag, Wedding Cars, Wedding Doves ...and many more.

'Gloucestershire & Wiltshire' Brochure

Following many successful years producing individual Wedding Services Brochures for Bath, Bristol, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire, County Bride have now launched their first 'combined' brochure for the counties of 'Gloucestershire & Wiltshire'. The Tourism arms of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire are supporting the directory and have jointly written the foreword for the new project.
As before, the brochures will be produced annually and distributed Free of Charge to key outlets. These include the majority of Wedding Fayres held in the respective areas.
County Bride have always strived to give value and good exposure to the advertiser, and the merging of the areas, at very little additional cost to the advertiser, has been welcomed by both bride and advertiser alike.
We are currently working on the inaugural combined brochure for 'Bath & Bristol' and expect it to be in print in August of this year 2010. (Click here for more information on the brochures)

Visit the County Bride website for a complete list of wedding services including Chair Covers & Sashes, Wedding Photographers, Marquee Hire, Wedding Cakes, Florists, Licensed Wedding Venues,
Hen & Stag, Wedding Cars ...and many more.

County Bride Brochures

County Bride produced their 1st Wedding Services Brochure for the Gloucestershire area, having chosen this beautiful county to pilot a comprehensive online Wedding Services Directory in the year 2000. With the success of both the Internet Directory and the Brochure, the 'County' format of Internet and Brochure marketing was taken to three additional areas: Bath, Bristol, and Wiltshire. (Click here for more information on the brochure)
The brochures are produced annually and distributed Free of Charge to key outlets. They generate positive feedback from future brides with regard to their convenient ‘Handbag Size’ and easy-to-navigate source of information. County Bride have always strived to give value and good exposure to the advertiser and to this end are merging their Four 'area' brochures into Two. The two NEW brochures will cover the same four areas as previously covered. The ‘Bath & NE Somerset’ and ‘Bristol, S Glos & N Somerset’ brochures will become ‘Bath & Bristol’ – and ‘Gloucestershire & SE Wales’ and ‘Wiltshire’ will become ‘Gloucestershire & Wiltshire’.

Visit the County Bride website for a complete list of wedding services including Chair Covers & Sashes, Wedding Photographers, Marquee Hire, Wedding Cakes, Florists, Licensed Wedding Venues,
Hen & Stag, Wedding Cars ...and many more.

Wedding Etiquette: Traditions & Customs - The Cake

The Cake:
Historically it was the custom to shower the bride with small cakes (like confetti) or even break the cake over the brides head! An old English custom included the placement of a ring inside the cake, with the lucky guest who found it being ensured happiness. The Wedding Cake containing fruit and nuts was originally produced to symbolise fertility. The wedding cake was developed over time into a tower of several cakes placed on top of one another. Originally the bride and groom would stand on opposite sides of the cake and attempt to kiss. If the kiss was carried out without toppling the cake, good fortune could be expected. This tradition has been continued and modified into today's multi-tiered cake with the kissing couple on top.
The top tier of the cake is often kept for the christening of the couple's first born.

Visit the County Bride website for full details on Wedding Etiquette, also find a complete list of wedding services for Bath, Bristol, Gloucestershire, N Somerset, SE Wales and Wiltshire including Chair Covers, Wedding Photographers, Marquee Hire, Hen & Stag, Wedding Cars, Florists, Wedding Catering ...and many more.
View a regularly updated list of Wedding Fayres for the County Bride areas.

New Category - Dove Release

County Bride have added a new Category to their already extensive list of Wedding Services headings, that of 'Dove Release'.
The release of White Doves, often by the Bride and Groom, has gained in popularity and is a spectacular alternative to the throwing of confetti and rice.

White Doves have long been a symbol of peace, love, fath and fidelity, and their release signifies a romantic and everlasting new life together for the new couple. Whether a single Dove, a pair of Doves or a flock of Doves, this will be one of the most talked about events of the wedding day - a magical moment to be captured forever on camera.

Visit the County Bride website for more on Getting Married, also find a complete list of wedding services including Chair Covers, Wedding Photographers, Marquee Hire, Wedding Cakes, Florists, Fireworks, Hen & Stag ...and many more.

Wedding Etiquette: Roles & Duties - The Ushers

The Ushers main duties are:

Showing people to their seats at the ceremony.
Distributing orders of service.
Distributing buttonholes.
Distributing hymn books.
Assisting the best man in organising the photographs.
Assisting the best man with organisation of the Wedding Cars.
Generally looking after the guests.
Escorting the bride's mother to her seat.
Introducing guests to each other.

Visit the County Bride website for full details on Wedding Etiquette, also find a complete list of wedding services for Bath, Bristol, Gloucestershire, N Somerset, SE Wales and Wiltshire including Chair Covers, Wedding Photographers, Marquee Hire, Hen & Stag, Wedding Cakes, Florists ...and many more.

Wedding Etiquette: Roles & Duties - Best Man (1)

The Best Man (part 1 of 2):
A supporting role to the groom. A position of huge responsibility that should not be undertaken or indeed offered lightly. His duties include:

The arrangement of the Stag Party (this should not be the night before the wedding)
Ensuring a punctual and sober arrival of the groom at the wedding venue.
Issuing of Buttonholes.
Issuing of Orders of Service.
Organising the seating with the wedding venue.
Responsibility for the bringing of rings to the wedding venue.
Presenting rings to the clergyman when required.
Witnessing the signing of the register.
Organisation of the Ushers.
Payment of Church fees on behalf of the groom.
Escorting the chief bridesmaid down the aisle.

Visit the County Bride website for more on Wedding Etiquette, also find a complete list of wedding services including Chair Covers, Wedding Photographers, Marquee Hire, Wedding Cakes, Florists,
Hen & Stag ...and many more.