A bride’s wedding day is supposed to make her feel like a queen for a day. Bring that royal feeling full circle with a Baroque-inspired wedding and become your own “Belle” of the ball at a wedding castle. A style that is becoming very popular and extending beyond the dress to an overall theme, Baroque-fashioned weddings are one of the latest trends to inspire brides this season

In the 17th century Baroque fashion dominated the French court of Louis XIV. Today that fashionable style is making a bold comeback in wedding dresses for today’s bride. Much more comfortable than the designs of old, the new Baroque fashions boast luxurious and extravagant materials that are elaborately detailed and embellished with crystals, metallics, and fine ribbons and fabrics.

The Baroque-inspired fashion of today’s wedding dresses, have intricate bodices and pristine yet full gowns, some of which come complete with overskirts in the fashion of Marie Antoinette if you want to go the full meringue look.. Wedding Corset styles are very popular. The beauty of the corset is that you do not need to worry about your exact size on your wedding day. If you are overcome with stress or are just plain lucky enough to lose those few extra pounds before your big day it is no problems. No need for any last minute alterations, just get your Maid of Honour to tie you in nice and tight.

On the other hand if your method of dealing with wedding strss is to take solace in a tin of biscuits and you put on a few pounds, there is plenty of extra space in a wedding dress designed with a corset.

Also wedding corsets open up a whole load of wedding photography possibilities. You must instruct your wedding photographer to take a photo of you getting laced up. Sepia tones particularly lend themselves to this style of photo and if you have the wedding castle location with chaise longue, mirrored armoires, cherubs and chandeliers, these add that special touch and continu that romantic baroque theme.

Think royalty, think luxurious, think rich; whether in ornamentation, decor, fabrics, wedding accessories, favors or invitation and stationary design. Begin your Baroque-styled wedding with embellished invitations sealed with ornamental baroque monogrammed stickers. Add some detail and sparkle to your ceremony decor with crystals and metallic ribbons, for church pews or chair decor accessories. As an idea for a baroque-inspired centrepiece, think candelabras dripping with crystals in silver, or platinum, and continue your theme with a silver and chrome-plated cake serving set.

For a venue, nothing says baroque more than a renaissance wedding castle in France rich with velvet drapes, a ballroom-styled reception room complete with grand chandeliers suspended from the ceiling with light reflected in infinity mirrors and antique chaise longue lining the dance floor.

Color for a Baroque-themed wedding should be as rich as the style itself. Champagne and deep rose red, or vibrant purples are beautiful choices with lots of metallic details interspersed amongst your accessories. Brocade is a popular fabric for the baroque bride and brocade velvet is a good choice for a winter bride.

For food think rich and sumptuous. Have foie gras, figs and duck breast.

Traditionally all champagne comes from the Champagne Region of France. If it does not say France somewhere on the label, it falls into the category of sparkling wine and is simply and unquestionnably not considered true champagne. France is the land of the wedding castle.

France is a country that has an amazing affinity for its land. It is a land of 365 cheeses - a cheese for every day of the week. French people know the different “terroirs” - the country, its micro-climate and its produce and especially its wine. They have an innate appreciation for the effect of soil, and sun on different plots of land at a cross-intersection where one produces bottles worth 5 euros and another worth 20 and the best worth over 150 euros. You and I might struggle with this but Oz Clark describes it poetically.

Some fine well-known champagne from France include Veuve Clicquot or Moet & Chandon. Available in mini and full sized bottles, the smaller bottles are perfect for that one-time toast or for serving guests in a garden party reception. We have been able to buy Veuve Clicquot simply off the shelf one bottle at a time for 23 euros a bottle last year (part of the Intermarche empire) 4 minutes away is cheaper than lots of wine merchants who promise your good prices.

As one would expect, the cost of the tried and true French Champagnes are exorbitant. Savings can be found both online and by buying from case lots.

For serving champagne there are two styles of glasses to choose from. The wide rimmed round glasses with shorter stems of yesteryears, perfect for a vintage themed reception, or the more modern elongated flute, which provides an elegant air.

Some venues will have both styles of glasses to choose from, while others will require you to seek an outside rental agency to provide them. You may even wish to purchase champagne flutes as a wedding favor to help guests remember what could be possibly their first taste of real champagne. Add an additional personal touch to your favor by engraving them with your wedding details.

A tried and true decorative feature that incorporates champagne is the creation of a champagne fountain out of tiered glasses. They can be arranged on a turntable or stationary, with or without lights, and serve anywhere from eight to sixty glasses at a time. A champagne pyramid properly phtographed looks spectacular. If you can instruct yor caterers and your photographer that you want one.

For a truly stylish gwedding, nothing flows better than true Champagne. If you budet just simply will not stretch that far go for Champagne Methodoise - vouvray from the Loire Valley is a sparkling Chenin Blanc champagne style alternative. The Loire Valley really is the most beautiful wine region in the world with glorious wedding castle sprinkled around every bend.

Cava is also a reasonably priced alternative.

Champagne at the head table at your french wedding castle is worth the cost. It is your day.

Due to the current financial climate, more and more couples are planning winter weddings - this can be a significantly cheaper option. The summer season is peak time for wedding ceremonies, and if you plan to marry in Britain the weather can be very unpredictable. Summer Saturdays can get booked out at popular wedding venues up tothree years in advance.

To get your fairytale destination wedding at a wedding castlea bargain price in these difficult financial times think last minute and off season.

Beat the credit crunch and plan a winter wedding, what could be more romantic than getting married against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, followed by a luxury drinks reception around a warm log fire? Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy and Iceland make excellent wedding locations in winter – as they are destinations that not only encompass a magical atmosphere but also places that are guaranteed to leave you with stunning memories.

If the thought of a snowy winter wedding leaves you with a chill then don’t despair – you can still get married in winter and enjoy hot weather. Set you sights on exotic destinations such as the Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India. All offer spectacular locations and sizzling temperatures.

So, if your loved one has asked for your hand in marriage, instead of opting for a summer wedding, consider the benefits of a winter ceremony and maybe a wedding castle – it is likely to be cheaper and it will give your guests something to look forward to during the long winter months.

Aside from wedding venues being more readily available (Christmas and Valentine dates not withstanding), other benefits to winter weddings include a more luxurious palette of colors and fabrics to choose from such as varying shades of red, royal blue, deep purple and hunter green. Other benefits include the ability to plan on short notice, without being told time and time again that your vendor, disc jockey, photographer or caterer of choice is booked solid.

Other bonuses include flowers that don’t wilt in the heat (as long as you take care not to let them freeze in the cold), cakes that don’t sag, and a bride that is not melting. There is a better chance that more of your invited guests will not be on holidays and therefore able to attend your wedding. Add to that the special quality that comes across in photographs.

A rustic mountain lodge with roaring fireplaces, sleigh rides, and a host of other winter-loving amenities add to the enchanting cozy ambience. For that winter wonderland effect, choose a grand ballroom with draped fabric walls filled with white, silver and crystal twinkling lights.

For wedding accessories, decorations, and favors, winter weddings offer a host of snowflake themed items in various shades of blue, white and silver.

Alternatively you could go for a wedding castle with a baroque theme with champagne and burgundy colours, velvets and chandeliers and cherubs and church candles.

Tiny candy holding mittens for favors, snowflake embossed napkins or stationary, or faux ice-sculptured cake toppers, all add to a fantasy themed setting.

You have probably heard of Rocket Spanish, right? Now, get ready for Rocket French and it is designed for people who wants to learn how to speak, write and understand French the “conversational” way rather than the conventional way. Now, included in the series of Rocket learning languages, Rocket French, if used and followed properly, can help anyone learn this very elegant and sexy language in just a short span of time. Some even say that it will only take 8 weeks to learn French through the help of Rocket French instead of months or even years through a conventional way. If you are one of these persons who want to learn French, you can first go to this site and read a Rocket French review. This way, you will be able to see and understand this learning tool through the testimonies given by people who have greatly benefited from it. You can also read some Pro’s and Con’s of Rocket French before you decide on this product.

A private wedding castle setting is probably the most romantic location a couple could choose for their wedding. As guests descend the long drive and entrance to a private castle they will be immediately transformed into an ancient time.

A fairytale wedding castle sets the scene for the ultimate castle experience because the location is a real wedding castle without parking lots, a front desk, tourists in shorts and the hustle and bustle of a busy hotel.

The major differences between a private castle and a luxury castle hotel are privacy, cost and service. A private castle gives a couple and their guests the most private and authentic castle wedding experience. The couple and their guests would have the exclusive run of the castle and the castle grounds whereas at a luxury castle hotel, the couple would only be allowed in public rooms, individual guest rooms and areas of the grounds open to the public.

Often luxury hotels prohibit wedding attire inside or on the grounds unless the couple has taken exclusive use of the hotel for their wedding day. A luxury castle hotel would require that a couple to take exclusive use (rent every room in the hotel) if they wish to have a private wedding. In England, a standard hotel room in a luxury castle hotel can start at $500 a room, making a single night’s fee as much as $50,000 for the hotel rooms only. A typical private castle would start at $5,000 a night. However a hotel’s fees include much more than the location itself.

In a luxury castle hotel your typical room rate would also include breakfast, maid service, turn down service, concierge, etc. In a private castle you would have to pay additional fees for a chef, servers, maid service and a personal concierge. These fees can cost as much as $2,500 a day depending on the size of the staff.

When taking a private wedding castle, my first advice to a bride is to allow the location to be the atmosphere. Rarely does a private castle need to be decorated and simplicity is the key. Large flower arrangements should be kept to the main entrance hall and large mantles in formal rooms. Doing large arrangements throughout takes away from the authentic atmosphere and makes the location look “over done.” Instead allow music to decorate. There is no better way to create an atmosphere than to hire excellent musicians.

I would recommend the following:

• For guests arrival to the castle have a harpist playing in the main formal living room of the castle.
• For the morning of the wedding have a pianist play at the entrance to the castle.
• For the ceremony I recommend a string quartet.
• For the vin d’honneur I recommend the string quartet continue.
• For the reception I recommend a band followed by a DJ in a separate room.

I usually recommend that they take a peek at the location during off-peak season when airfares are as cheap as $300 round trip. This expense is worth every penny. It will give you great peace of mind and will allow you to take very specific notes about the location. Remember to take notes, ask lots of questions and be sure to ask what was the best wedding at the location and why.

While the average American wedding can easily cost $30,000 for just one evening, our clients are finding they can spend less and celebrate for four days with their [spin]closest|close circle of[/spin} friends and family in a wedding castle including top of the line, hands on coordination.

The music you select for your castle wedding will help set the mood and tone of the ceremony. Whether you opt for a harpist, harpsichordist, pianist, live music can provide you with a wonderful atmosphere your guests are sure to remember. If your budget doesn’t include room for live musicians, there’s always the option of prerecorded music.

Ceremony music includes:
The Prelude: As the guests arrive and are seated, they’ll hear this music, designed to help create the mood and set the tone for the entire event.
Processional: An indication to the guests that the event is starting, this music usually has an even beat (you’re not looking for a beat to dance to, just walk to!) This music will continue as each of your attendants walk down the aisle. As the bride begins her walk down the aisle, the music changes again.
Ceremony: Some ceremonies are held without music; others feature a soloist, duet, or just a favorite song—whatever you like.
The Recessional: Marking the end of the ceremony, the recessional music is played as the wedding party—and the new husband and wife—leave the ceremony.
The Postlude: As the guests begin to leave, the music turns to the postlude, a background music similar to prelude music.

Pachelbel’s Canon in D for the bridesmaids is a usual request, because it consists of variations on a four measure theme, and it can go on for 20 minutes for a zillion bridesmaids or it can be cut to 30 seconds and still be beautiful; you just add or subtract variations.

Baroque music generally has a kind of dignity that will give your wedding a certain refined feel, and there’s a great wealth of it that is superb for wedding castle. String quartets are especially appropriate for Baroque music.

Imagine the appeal of a wedding abroad, with your friends and family re-creating the traditions from home… What a new, amazing perspective- replacing the setting with the sweet oak forest, or sunflower fields, .

Imagine your wedding with the historical backdrop of significant cultural importance, or in a luxurious wedding castle which has been home to important artists and noble families in France.

A french château will enchant you with its fairytale atmosphere and dreamy environment, providing guests with a magical wedding experience. France the land of over thirty thousand castles is a spectacular country to choose to hold your wedding ceremony.

There is nothing quite like a fairytale chateau to give you beautiful surroundings both inside and outside. The advantages of using a fairytale chateau is that you will be able to house a large number of guests in a fabulous location.

A fairytale chateau in France is a magical location for your wedding vows. France is a truly incredible destination for a wedding abroad and you and your guests will be captivated by its charms. In fact if you choose to have your wedding in France one of the most challenging aspects is deciding which of the many beautiful locations and venues will set the scene for your big day.

If you or your affianced can not satisfy the 40 day residency requirement, you canhave a “secret” civil ceremony in your home country prior to your wedding day and then have a blessing or a humanist wedding ceremony.

Do not let the residency requirements discourage you from having your wedding castle in France.

Destination weddings are so incredibly popular. Over the past 10 years, destination weddings have increased over 400 percent.

Destination weddings are filling a need among the world’s affianced. Amazingly one out of every six couples getting married for the first time choose a destination wedding. Incredibly that number rises to 61% for couples getting remarried. For most couples, destination weddings offer a chance to celebrate in style. Who would not want to get married in a wedding castle.

A civil wedding in France requires advance planning, as well as a minimum stay of 4 weeks to complete the necessary documentation. As this is usually complicated, many couples opt to have a legal wedding in their own country, before flying to France for a religious ceremony held at a spectacular location and they then honeymoon in France.

A civil marriage is mandatory in France and religious ceremonies are not legally binding in any way and can only be performed after the civil ceremony. In France to be legal, a marriage must be performed by a French civil authority. This means that the mayor performs the marriage ceremony.

For a civil ceremony there is a 30 day requirement of residency in France which one of the parties to be married must comply with. One of the parties must reside in the town or the arrondissement if in Paris, prior to the marriage for 30 days. Additionally French law requires the publication of the marriage banns at City Hall for ten days. This gives a total residency requirement of 40 days.

As the legal requirements for getting married in France are complex and may be reviewed or amended at any time, it is recommended that you enrol a competent wedding planner if you wish to get married in France.