The South of France - the dream location for your wedding

I've recently been asked by a few of my clients if I knew of any special venues in the South of France.  I have 2 delightful ones to recommend; the first in the Cannes area, the second in Provence. 

Chateau Dieter is a magnificent Renaissance property situated in the heart of the French Riviera, with a real Tuscan feel.  The castle is located in the most picturesque setting, amongst an olive grove and gardens.  I went to this venue last summer for a friend's wedding. The ceremony took place in the gardens, the bride walking down a beautiful colonnade, followed by a stunning reception on the terrace.  We dined under the stars and moved into the Chateau to party until the early hours.  A truly magical evening.  

Chateau Grimaldi is located in Provence on a hill overlooking the village of Puyricard (10 minutes by car to Aix-en-Provence and 30 minutes to Marseille airport).  The Chateau has a fantastic set up: 5 hectares of delightful gardens, fountains, sculptures, a tennis court and swimming pool.  Ruins of the 17th century castle surround the pool, making a spectacular setting for my friend's wedding this summer.  The ceremony took place overlooking the hills, followed by a reception by the pool with local culinary delights.  We dined on the candlelit terrace of the house and danced the night away in the stunning old chapel.  A truly memorable evening. 

Who says old school photography is out of date?

 

A client of ours recently used these magnetic Polaroid photo frames as their table name cards. It is a great idea for any party whether it be a wedding, significant birthday or Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and a fantastic memento for your fridge. You can purchase online at Urban Outfitters. 

Why not also put disposable cameras scattered around the tables? More than often people tend to take more effort to compose a perfect picture when they know they can’t view it and you will be the ones to get them developed! 

Another idea, if one has room within their budget, is to have a photo booth at the party, producing either black and white or coloured images, which guests can then stick in a wedding book with a special message to you both. Fun props and accessories are usually included with the booth. We recommend The Photo Booth Company.

 

Prince George's Aden + Anais Swaddle Blanket

We thought Prince George was a trendsetter but one of our clients used this adorable image of their son bundled up in the bird-printed swaddle blanket for their birth announcement card BEFORE Kate brought him out of St. Mary's Hospital. Not surprisingly, the Prince has caused quite a stir in the baby retail world. The muslin blanket is made by Brooklyn-based company Aden + Anais, so if you're in America, go and get in line! Apparently, 10,000 were placed immediately after the little thing came out to meet the world. Buy yours here: Jungle Jam Swaddle.

Brighten up your swimwear with your favourite pantone colour

Everyday at GG Print we are surrounded by Pantone swatches to choose the appropriate colour of your desire. Whilst ambling through the back streets of Saint-Tropez yesterday, I came across a fantastic beachwear shop.  5 styles of swimming trunks (4 for men, 1 for men & women) in 30 different Pantone colours.  My favourite has to be the "Tangerine Tango - vivacious, appealing, enticing", that says it all...

Want to satisfy your sugar kick? Try...Upcakes

Last Friday, Jenna Zoe (the creator and founder of Upcakes) swung by to collect some labels we made for her. We pinned her down for a quick gossip to find out how her business was going. She said the demand for home made wheat-free / gluten-free cakes was higher than ever. It’s so easy to hit that all time sugar low at 4pm in the office and just crave a snickers so why not choose a healthier option that is free from wheat, dairy, sugar and eggs for your colleagues? We particularly love the Upcakes Choc Bites in the GG Print office.  

Fed up of trying to piece a jigsaw together on your bedroom floor?

Collating guests' details An important step in arranging one's wedding stationery is creating a database of your guests' details, such as their email and home addresses. Follow this link, and find an easy and stress free way to create your database: www.postable.com

Seating plans can provide a tough task when planning for your Big Day. We highly recommend using this website: www.toptableplanner.com - a fantastic, dynamic site, which allows you to input your guests and switch their placement easily. 

Above are some photographs of a client's wedding, where we helped create a London theme for their rehearsal dinner, including a personalised tube map seating plan and itinerary.

Mr Darcy takes a dip...

Yesterday for 3 hours only, down the road from our studio in Albert Mews, a 12ft sculpture emerged from the Serpentine of Jane Austen's Mr Darcy, resembling Colin Firth's iconic wet shirt scene. 'Pride and Prejudice' was a favourite story of mine growing up. When I received my new born King Charles Spaniel 4 years ago, I thought it only appropriate to name him after the aloof, romantic hero the Bennett sisters adore.