8 weeks to go *flash*

Everything looks amazing together, you've made some beautiful choices.

You're having my dream honeymoon!

Thank you! Hopefully it all comes together!

We are getting married at Maidens Barn in October!!! I love your centrepieces idea! This is very similar to what we are thinking of having!!

Any more flashes?! I'm looking forward to seeing some piccies from your day !! ☺️

You are the first other Maidens Barn bride I've found on here!

We popped in on Wednesday and they've removed the stones at the entrance and are getting a new bar built!

Stunning - my centrepieces are very similar so I feel your pain with soaking off labels. Why are some so easy to get off whereas others are a nightmare?!

I know! Not many people have even heard of it! Went to a dress shop in Ongar yesterday, so only 20 mins away and they hadn't heard of it either! It's a hidden gem

They mentioned about having the front done and the new bar, will the bar be ready for your day? I'm following them on Facebook so waiting to see some more pictures when it's ready!

Any bits of advice seeing as we have such a long time till we are invited to tasting and planning meetings

I'm getting pretty good at removing the labels now! Soak them for as long as you can then use a scourer and they seem to come off quite easy! xx

In terms of de-labelling bottles, the way my OH and I do it (we brew our own alcohol) is with sterilizing solution in the bathtub (you can buy sterilizer in a home brew shop, or the home brew section at wilkos).

We've found some types are just harder to peel than others, my suggestion (if you don't mind a bit of dirty work) is to find a local hotel/bar that doesn't mind you looking through their skips, and get couple different options until you find one that comes off easily (and is hopefully the house brand!) then it's all a piece of cake.

If that fails, a wire brush often helps!

Thanks mbunnage! I must admit it is getting a bit tiresome! My friend runs a pub so we have a full collection going in the garage but I've been lacking serious motivation!! Haha!

Katie- bar should be complete for our day- they're shut throughout Jan and the old one had been completely ripped out when we were there last week!

I'll be honest we didn't end up going to our tasting evening as the OH was unwell so we are going in a bit blind! They've been pretty responsive to our questions via email. Sorry I can't help you with any advice!

Its strange how it seems to be so Unknown! They don't post too regularly on FB either so I've been really struggling finding some ideas! The only thing that I'm a bit "hmmm" about is the no accommodation at the venue. Wish they'd have invested in that in time for our wedding!

I completely agree about the accommodation! We have booked the honeymoon cottage but still haven't even seen it! Every time we've been they've had people in there! We wanted to book out the Saracens Head Hotel for our guests but it was already fully booked with another wedding party from somewhere else! we've ended up making a group booking at the Travel Lodge. Not really what I hoped for our family and friends, but they'll be getting there after midnight, and it's only £34 a room so can't complain really!!!

They are refurbishing some of their other barns for more guests accommodation, but they don't expect that to be ready by October. Once they have that it really will be the perfect venue!

Did you use any of their preferred suppliers for florists or photographers? x

Oh really! They haven't told us that! How frustrating! It would be great as the Bride cave as we have named it is quite small!

We had the same thing with the Saracens Head- we've booked Fultons Chop House for our accommodation and we've booked that for the night before and night of the wedding for the bridal party and parents, everyone else is at the Travelodge too! Can't grumble at that price! We have last minute ditched the honeymoon cottage as I wasn't willing to pay an additional £200 for something that should - in my opinion- be free of charge- no one else can use it while you have the wedding venue! We also haven't seen it in all the trips we've been on- I think they mentioned they drive you to it at the end of the night? Is that right?

Sorry forgot about the suppliers- no we have found our own. They might have the experience but we found them more expensive than others. We've used a florist from Stortford and a photographer who is Kent based

Oh wow I looked at that hotel for our honeymoon but it was too much it will be amazing!!

is that maidens barn???? My friend got married there last April, it's gorgeous x

Beautiful wedding planning thread. I just came back from levi lapland where we tied the knot and spent the wedding night in a glass igloo! It was amazing! Any qus about them ask away as I found it hard to find much in them

I'm in a glass igloo in Levi tonight and can't wait. Our planning looks gorgeous and these last weeks will fly by. X

Thanks Ladies!

Lapland girls- fill me in! What is it like!? What do you wear etc etc!

Which area are you staying in and are you flying with inghams? I have been to Yllas and this time levi so can give you lots of info on either. With the igloos I recommend booking a taxi back before you go as there really isn't much there so I did have a slight moment of uh oh how do we get back? Lol. Ours was lovely it had a small kitchen and we got breakfast in the fridge. It had a hob, toaster, fridge and kettle so easy to do food. The bathroom had a lovely over head waterfall shower and the beds are singles pushed together but that's because they have remote controls to lift your feet or head! It was beautiful as the glass is all heated so melts the snow as soon as it lands keeping the views clear. We didn't see the lights but you are in the middle of nowhere with no artificial lights so it's a beautiful and peaceful place to be. I actually wore my wedding dress to the igloos and just snow gear back. Do you have snow stuff? If not you can hire a snow suit pretty cheap whilst out there

Thanks Lapland2015. We're staying at the resort - kakslauttanen for 4 nights then coming home, never been before so decided to stay in one place! OH has sorted flights and that out so I'm not exactly sure!

We have snow jackets and boots but will we need anything else? I don't think it will be as cold (we've been told to expect about -5 to-10)

We flew back Sunday and it averaged -5 whilst we were there. Got as warm as 0 and it was only when we landed on the my day it was -22 but the same resort this week is heading nearer -30 so it can get very cold very quick. Work on the three layer system and you will be fine, thermal trousers and top and normal socks with tube socks or ski socks on top of your normal. T-shirt if you don't want to be sat in your thermals when inside (they tend to over compensate and switch the heating up!) fleece jumper unless your ski jacket has one zipped in. Ski jacket, trousers and snow boots. Most impirtantly ski gloves, hat and scarf! You will want them during excursions especially! We took off our hat and gloves at -5 but husky etc tend to go across lakes and if your going quick across open lakes the wind chill is cold! Mountain warehouse has brilliant sales as does sports direct! We got mega expensive gear the first time we went as there was only one shop near us at the time but the cheaper brands are just as good so don't be fooled into buying expensive unless your a winter sports fanatic or snow seeker!

I haven't been to that resort so cannot comment on their facilities but the Finnish people are lovely and most speak fluent English and are more than happy to help you with the basic Finnish if you attempt it! They are two hours ahead and everything is in Euros. If your in a hotel your hubby will need tight shorts or budgie smugglers for the swimming pools and don't be shocked if people are naked in public saunas it's only the British that have issues with that apparently!

The food is very good. you can get burgers etc but they also do reindeer. There are loads of fish and shellfish dishes so worth being adventurous. The sun doesn't rise there in the winter so depending on dates you go you may only get a couple of hours of pink sky where the sun is rising and setting but it is just like narnia so you won't care about the lack of sun! The snow is usually dry and powdery unless they have a temp rise then fall so it's not like here where it's wet and miserable when it snows lol. Photos can be hard to take due to lack of light but play with flash on and off and you will get some lovely photos. Keep your camera/phones in an inside pocket or with hand warmer if it gets too cold as the temperature will drain your batteries if it gets too cold. iPhones seemed to struggle so if you have one take a camera for photos. My Samsung coped fine and took some great pics.

What at excursions are you doing? Any qus ask away. Sorry for the essay!

Oh wow- cold!

currency was something we were unsure on too! Thanks for that!

were going on the 1st of March, so not too far away! How many times have you been?

We are doing huskeys, cross country skiing and snowmobiles, I'm expecting to come home exhausted!

We have been twice and planning a trip back next year! I love the place it really is beautiful!

Huskys are loud when stood still but when they run they go silent! They aren't like Siberian huskys that you see here they are cross bred to pull more weight quicker. Cover your nose and mouth with your scarf when you go as it gets chilly as they run pretty quick. You may get offered the chance to drive them if you do the Instructuons sound crazy but give it a go as the ladies that came with us regret not trying. We didn't get the chance as we went on a different excursion but we had a full 10-12 pack if dogs pulling us with an expert so it was quick!

snowmobiles are very quick and slightly bumpy! Try standing up as it's easier on your bum haha and have the hand warmers on even if they feel too hot at first as they are a godsend when it's cold. You will need your driving license if your driving and they may breathalise you as they did us.

i didn't try cross country skiing but look out for maps of your resort when you get there at the tourist info or off travel reps as lapland has hundreds of cross country ski routes.

you will love every second! If you get chance go to a reindeer farm on a sleigh ride. They are beautiful creatures and the sammi people are lovely! Don't forget to download a northern light app!

I know it's not the same place your going but these are a few of our pics. First is the ski slope, second our accomodation and third is levi village on its side for some reason! The roads look icy but everyone has proper winter tyres so it's perfectly safe

Lapland I'm tempted to try and save to go to the igloo hotel for our anniversary next year, couldn't justify the cost this year for our honeymoon When do the holidays and hotels start taking bookings for the following year? Thanks x

They are already taking bookings for next winter. We booked a week with inghams and booked the glass igloo seperate although inghams could have arranged it for us. They arrange excursions and do transfers and do half board at hotels so dinner and breakfast is sorted if you didnt want to eat out. I recommend Levi definatly! We stayed in Levitunturi but had guests in hullo poro and both hotels were very good. Cabins are lovely but usually self catering

Also levi glass igloos are only a short taxi ride away