The Loire Valley in France is a stunning destination for a hoiday or a french wedding. The Loire Valley is a spectacular holiday destination. Why just visit a chateau when you can stay in a real one and be waited on like a Lord of the Manor. You can hire a Loire Valley chateau for a french wedding and even select a wedding package for that wow factor wedding. Your destination wedding guests can spend days visiting the historic chateaux and gardens of the Loire Valley sampling fine wine and cheese and gastronomic delights along the way. Your history buff friends and family will be delighted.

Chateau de Chambord was commissioned in 1510 by the young King Francois definitely an egomaniac when he was only 25 years of age, to help establish his power. He was not content with the amazing chateaux of Blois and Amboise.

He fancied a hunting lodge. Francois I spent without counting to realise his masterpiece project. He even went so far as to change the natural course of the Loire River. The chateau we see today was not completed until 1685, and by far it is the largest chateau in the Loire.

The Royal Chateau at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is the most recognisable chateau in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture that blends classical Italian structures with traditional medieval forms and a variety of towers and turrets. The roofline really is incredible.

If you’re going to visit one chateau on the Loire, it should be this one. This is solid stock. 84 staircases, 18 stories high 440 rooms, 420 feet wide, …. Inside the chateau the highlight is the double helix staircase which serves as the axis for the entire chateau, and is thought to have been designed by da Vinci.

The chateau is in the centre of a 13,000 acre wooded park and game reserve with red deer and wild boar, surrounded by a twenty mile wall. It is the largest forest park in Europe.

The castle was rarely occupied. Francois I spent barely 7 weeks at Chateau Chambord on short hunting trips. The chateau was never constructed to be a permanent residence and it was not practical to stay there on a longer term. This was exacerbated by the fact that the chateau was not surrounded by a estate or a village. Other than game, there was no immediate source of food.

When the chateau was vacated it was left completely unfurnished. All of the tapestries, paintings, furniture, eating implements, were brought in especially for each hunting trip. It would have been like co-ordinating a party of two thousand odd including the royal family going camping.

This is why much of the furniture from this era was built to be disassembled in order to aid transportation. French armoires and beds all disassemble beautifully. Contrary to popular belief Ikea did not invent flat-packing.

After King Francois died, Chateau de Chambord remained unoccupied for some eighty years falling into a terrible state of decay. In 1639 Louis XIII gave it to his brother, Gaston d’Orleans who carried restoration work which was greatly needed. He saved the castle.

Louis XIV furnished the royal apartments and added a horse stable for a mere 300 horses to allow him to use the castle as a hunting lodge.

In 1930 the chateau became the property of the French Government but restoration work was not begun until a few years after World War II ended in 1945.

Make sure you have good pair of walking shoes, a little snack and a bottle or two of water, and a camera preferably with a fish eye lense. Park your car in the free parking lot. Try to get there before or after all the tourist buses.

France’s Loire Valley offers goat cheese lovers a veritable paradise. This region is is sprinkled with amazing Renaissance chateaux open to the public and an abundance of fine wine and cheeses. It is justly called the Garden of France.

Chateau du Guerinet near Blois is a perfect base for a cheese lover’s Loire Valley holiday and for a fairytale french destination wedding. They also have a new credit crunch buster wedding package offering incredible value.

The history of goat’s milk cheese in France started in the Loire Valley In the 8th Century, the Saracens of Arab descent were repelled at Poitiers. When they were expelled from France they left behind their goats and the recipes for making incredible cheese from goats milk.

The quaint villages on either side of the Loire River produce goat’s cheeses of different sizes and shapes. There are six AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlee) cheeses: Crottin de Chavignol, Sainte-Maure de Touraine, Selles-sur-Cher, Valencay, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre,and Chabichou du Poitou. An AOC cheese is made within a specified region following established methods of production. Quality is guaranteed with an AOC cheese.

Pouligny-Saint-Pierre nicknamed the Eiffel Tower or Pyramid because if its shape. The rind is of natural mould. The pate is a soft moist white and crumbly. The taste is at first sour and salty followed by sweetness. This cheese goes wonderfully with a glass of Reuilly or Sancerre.

Chabichou du Poitou has a thin rind of white, yellow or blue mould and a delicate slightly sweet flavour. Pouilly Fume and Sancerre wines go nicely with this cheese.

Crottin de Chavignol known as Chavignol is hard black and knobbly on the surface, and the taste is a balance of sourness, sweetness and a little salt to be enjoyed with a glass of Sancerre de Chavignol.

Valencay cheese looks like a small black pyramid. It is purported that the shape of the cheese was originally a perfect pyramid. But when Napoleon returned from a disastrous campaign in Egypt he stopped at Valencay Castle, the cheese reminded him of the Egyptian pyramids and in a furry he chopped of the top of the cheese with his sword. The Valencay goat’s cheese has a rind of natural mould, covered with salted powdered charcoal and goes nicely with a glass of Quincy, Reuilly or Sancerre.

Sainte-Maure de Touraine is a blue-grey mould covered long truncated log of goat’s cheese. The cheese is mature, balanced, round with salt, sourness and an aroma of walnut. This cheese is produced all year long and is nicely complimented by a glass of Chinon or Vouvray.

Selles-sur-Cher also has a rind of natural mould covered with powdered and salted charcoal. The pate is hard at first, then moist, heavy and clay-like as it blends and melts in the mouth. The taste is slightly sour and salty with a touch of sweetness. A glass of Sancerre or Pouilly Fume accompanies this cheese beautifully.

What better way to enjoy these cheeses than driving through the Loire Valley visiting historic chateaux, maybe a hot-air balloon ride in the morning, gourmet lunch in village bistros, meeting cheese and wine producers sampling their products and returning at night to a friendly inviting boutique chateau hotel.

Don’t just visit a french chateau - stay in one. Guests get to truly experience the grandeur of living in a french chateau. If you love goat’s cheese you will not regret it.

For prospective brides you could entertain your french destination wedding guests with wine and cheese tastings on a trail meandering through the Loire Valley visiting historic chateaux. At your wedding breakfast you could serve goats cheese as part of your entree as well as on your cheese plate.

Brides snip inspiring photos from wedding magazines and surf the net sometimes for years before their big day. These are all components for creating your personal Wedding Inspiration Board.

Wedding inspiration boards are a growing trend. Wedding boards are presentable to wedding vendors. Displaying it on your office wall, for example, will undoubtedly invite suggestions from your work colleagues.

Remember pictures speak a thousand words. Collect images of dresses, bouquets, shoes, favours, placecards, receptions, programs, invitations that you fancy. Create your board using pictures from magazines, websites or personal photographs. You name it, you can include it. Wedding Inspiration boards are also a great way to express your wedding ideas and vision to the many vendors who will participate in your wedding.

Scan images from wedding magazines and brochures. Any wedding vendor you deal with will be delighted to see that you have an inspiration board.

For a french wedding google images for wedding in France, castle wedding and chateau wedding.

You may miss the overall effect when you get down to the nitty-gritty of every fine detail. If you include pictures of everything from food to flowers to dresses to lighting, you’ll have a better idea of what your guests will see on your wedding day, when all of a sudden they walk in and see it all put together. And, as you will know how all of your different wedding elements come together ahead of time thanks to your inspiration board, it will be fabulous on your wedding day.

A great way to collect your ideas while planning your french wedding is to create an inspiration board. It can be a bulletin board, a piece of foam core, or you can create it on the computer in Photoshop or a layout program. Swatches, photos, even notes you’ve jotted down can be displayed all in one place, and changed around as you change your mind.

Providing your vendors with your wedding inspiration board will allow them to understand the look you want to accomplish, and even motivate them to create unique ideas along the same theme.

You could always download a free program or website or even work it up in Microsoft Word! Do not be intimidated into thinking you need a fancy program like Photoshop to make an inspiration board. You can use several boards for your wedding: one for flowers, one for the wedding attire, and one for the colors and decor.

Our bilingual french wedding planner says most brides having a destination wedding have an inspiration board.

A woman’s wedding is perhaps the most significant moment in her life; a moment she has been waiting for her whole life. For this reason, every aspect and detail of the wedding should fit accordingly with the bride to be’s wishes. Every girl dreams of one day having her own princess wedding at a wedding castle.
Fortunately, there are numerous wedding services which are widely available that can assist in planning a princess wedding. Because planning a wedding can be a difficult and trying experience, several wedding centers offer their services to couples. Have no fear, if the big day is only months away. With dozens of wedding services available, you are sure to find your every wedding need.

You’ve waited and waited your whole life for this moment. But now that the big day seems to be arriving sooner and sooner, the burden and intricacies of having to plan and organize your dream wedding is weighing down on your shoulders. This is a common problem associated with couples who are getting married. Because planning a wedding can often be difficult and require a lot of time as well as knowledge of how to go about planning your wedding, there are numerous wedding venues who provide their extensive, helpful, and life saving services to their customers.

Whether you need help with the decorating, food and catering, or just finding your wedding castle, rest assured that you will be able to find a wedding service provider in your area capable of assisting you with all of your wedding needs.

Having a princess wedding is an increasingly popular way to have your dream wedding become reality. Many wedding services specialize in theme weddings and are ready to help choreograph your princess wedding from the decorations right down to the cake.

Because having a princess wedding is so common, there are numerous, extensive options available in most wedding centers that allow the personalization of your princess wedding, making sure that it is only to your utter most approval.

Whether you need to find a location for the ceremony, caterers for the cake, or the perfect wedding dress, there is a wide variety of selections to choose from. Princess weddings are very popular and common. Deciding on who you’d like to plan this glorious affair is the most important.

There are many options for planning Princess weddings. From grand hotels to beautiful wedding castle with exquisite views overlooking the lake, or even historical mansions, there is an option that best satisfies your own personal taste.

There are so many wedding services available in an enormous selection of locations. You will be able to find the perfect wedding package, filled with assistance in locating, decorations, invitations, caterers, and many more of your Princess wedding’s needs.

One of the most important things to consider when planning a wedding is where to buy the cake. There are several choices for the most spectacular wedding cake, designed just right for the theme and style of your personalized wedding. For a princess wedding, one may prefer a princess affiliated cake. Many bakeries, pastry shops, as well as wedding services offer the selection and available option of customizing the cake you would like to have made. This option would most certainly come in handy for creating a princess wedding cake to match the theme of your dream wedding.

There are so many options available for individuals interested in having a princess wedding. From princess wedding invitations, to a princess style dress, or even a carriage to escort you to your dream princess wedding, there are numerous wedding services widely available which allow their customers to choose a theme for their wedding.

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.

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.

Doing France in a week can seem intimidated, 2500KM, but it will be eventful without missing the golden coasts, the spectacular views or the fine cuisine.

Begin your week in Calais where you will become mesmerised by the picturesque countryside that stretches between you and Dover on the Cote dOpale, do not feel ashamed to fall in love. You will then journey southwest to the Rouen Cathedral, a majestic and awe-inspiring tour.

Do not neglect the opportunity to lunch on some of the finest seafood in France in Dieppe and stop for a comforting stroll in Etretat on the Cote dAlbatre with your favorite French wine.Your first evening will be spent at Honfleur, Deauville or Trouville resort; either of these sea-side beauties will enchant your dreams in the most luxurious night ever.

Begin day two with a bit of history and tour the beaches of Normandy reliving D-Day but do not neglect the Mont St Michel abbey. Time yourself so that you do not miss a brief sail to Ile dOusessant from Brest or Camaret. Or if you prefer, find yourself climbing and exploring on the quaintly remote Belle Ile, beautiful.

Then have yourself a convertible for a long drive south along the coast, passing through La Rochelle on the Bay of Biscayne don’t miss La Rochelle’s main feature, the Vieux Por. Enjoy an evening meal here and remember that here is where you can feast on the finest seafood and oyster in the world.

Then find yourself in Royan, ferry to the Soulac-sur-Mer and discover all its secrets before moving on to Bordeaux where you will stay the night. While in Bordeaux do not forget about the 350 historical museums, take in its 18th century architecture, its vineyards and night life.

The next day you will continue on to Toulouse and Carcassonne onward to the Mediterranean Sea. The Camargue is home to more than 400 species of birds including hordes of beautiful Flamingoes awaiting your camera, but do not neglect the wild bulls and horses. Explore the natural park area between Camargue and Marseille where you can take in the world reknown music Marseille has to offer.

Welcome to the most insightful and interesting holiday blog on the bloggosphere.

The Team.