Zante 2012

Names and dates added ladies. Thanks! Keep them coming!

My age/name Rachel 43

oh age/name Lee 40

I'm a housewife

Lee is a Builder

I have 3 kids from previous marriage aged 20/19/15 and we have 18 month old boy together

engaged since christmas eve last year been together 7 years

wanted to have beach wedding and Zante looked fab and hopefully close enought for family to be able to afford to come

getting married at Alexandra beach and beach bbq reception

My name is kelly am 23

my o/h is anthony age 33

he is a dockgateman

we have 2 kids girl age 3 boy age 1

been together 5 years engaged for 9 months

wanted to get married on beach so we chose Alexander beach

Hi, my wedding is in 2013 not 2012 x

What is yours/your OH's name (if you want to share)? Karen and Dave

How old are you? 43

How old is your OH? 47

How long have you been together? 6 years

How long have you been engaged?5 1/2 years

Where are you from? Croydon

Have you got any children? I have 2 from previous marriage 14 and 11. My partner has 3 from previous marriage 20,18 and 14

What made you choose Zante? Very random we was looking at Turkey, but someone mentioned Zante to us we went out there in August and loved it

What do you do for a living? Clerical

What does your OH do for a living? Window Cleaner

Errrm... that's probably nosy enough for now!

Oooops sorry about that KARENLISA. ?

I have amended it and hope its right now!!

So girls. Nice to know more about you, but as I'm still feeling nosy, tell me your engagement stories!

I'll go first;

OH and I had been together a few years and talked about marriage. He's been married twice before, and it's never been something I was 'desperate' to do - we knew we were together for the forseeble, so I didn't think either of us were that bothered. Anyway, after we'd been to Zante in 2010, a wedding took place at the hotel we were staying at and it was stunning. I told him, if we ever decided to do it, we had to do it there.
So it was coming up to christmas, and we started talking about marriage and weddings. I always told him that getting engaged on christmas day is a total cop-out, and you'd only do it if you couldn't think of anything else to buy ? (btw I have since changed my mind about this!)
Anyway, I'm ridiculously close to my twin sister, and her OH told me a few months before that he was planning to propose on christmas day, and showed me the ring he'd chosen. I swallowed my words and told him it was really romantic and I was so excited. I told my OH and he was excited too, but told me later that he'd been planning to propose on my birthday (27th December) but didn't want to steal their thunder. Anyway, christmas day comes, twinny gets engaged and everyone is thrilled!
We start looking at rings a few weeks later (me being a snob, and not liking some of them he showed me and refusing an Argos one - sadly he said no to the £33,000 Tiffany's one).
In February, one of the girls I work with gets engaged too (again, no thunder stealing). Cue valentines day, and ANOTHER friend gets engaged. Bit of a recurring theme here.
Anyway, my nephew (twin sister's oldest, and again, seriously close to him - I was with her when he was born and OH is his Godfather) came to stay overnight. We had some shopping to do, so the 3 of us trapsed into Argos, to the jewellery section, and OH tells me to choose a ring. And I fell in love with one, under budget, and very sparkly! Ordered it and had to tear nephew away from the Toy Story Lego!
So, Argos took aaaages to to let us know that my ring had arrived, so we pop in one day and it's there, they just didn't phone.
So off we go home with THE ring. We go out for a few drinks that night, and he says he's gonna do it there and then in our local pub with everyone watching. I tell him if he does that, I'll say no and he can take the bloody thing back to the shop! Ha!
Next weekend, I'm getting ready to go out and having a 'fat day'. OH comes in to the room, me moaning and saying "I've got nothing to wear". He gives me this big dopey grin, says "why don't you wear your new ring?" and gets down on one knee. My answer "Errrrm...I've only got one shoe on" (Obviously I said yes!)

Oooh sorry, that was longer than I thought!

Mazzab 29th July 2012

Hi everyone so here goes with my engagement story. I'd been married twice before so i was adament i was Never getting married again, Lee hasnt been married and didnt want too. We were both happy as we were living in our own houses and spending weekends together, things happened really slowly with us we were together 4 years before we moved in together. We decided we wanted a child and had Freddy. Anyway last December my daughter was looking at engagement rings and I thought her and her boyfriend were going to do the deed but actually Lee had asked her to suss me out and find a ring I liked, so I'm thinking we're looking for a ring for her but i was really looking for my own LOL i found a beautiful platinum single solitaire diamond in a Tiffany setting.

So Christmas Eve 2010 I got up to give Freddy a bottle about 6, feeling a bit peeved at Lee as it was his turn I get back into bed and just drifting off when Lee is at my side of the bed on his knees WILL YOU MARRY ME he says holding out a box i grab the box open it scream because its THE RING put the ring on and then very quietly Lee says I take it thats a yes then!!

Hey Mrs BtoB snap my birthdays the 27th december!

My engagement story is that the OH proposed on our 2nd anniversay of being together while we were on holiday in turkey. It was a lovely surprise to me and a relief to him as apparently I had my hands on the ring box a number of times (in the suitcase, in his pocket and nearly caught him wrapping it up) I knew he was upto something but didn't give it much thought so I was completely unaware. Apparently my ring didn't come until the day before our holiday, also my OH's 40th birthday so he was nearly in meltdown leaving him thinking how can he propose without the ring! 4 days before our holiday we were panicking because we had a change in hotel and it wasn't suitable for my mother who has walking difficulties (my parents were coming away with us) and we had to wait all wkend to see if we could get another hotel. Where we finally ended up was a nice place but out of it ( & not really near where my OH wanted to propose, he'd got it all planned bless him) so the first few days weren't great, plus I ended up with a bad cold so I really did not look my best! Due to not knowing the area where we stayed my OH went down on 1 knee in the hotel gardens overlooking the town lit up down below, was a lovely view, and a moment I will never forget!

Added ! ?

Loving all the engagement stories ladies!

Here's mine:

It was the year of my 21st Birthday and L asked me what I would like to do to celebrate it. I said that I had always wanted to go to NYC for my 21st (whilst at college I studied 1920's American musicals, and wanted to go ever since). Much to my surprise L said 'Let's do it, lets go to New York". So we booked for 3 nights on Feb 2008, and saved as much as we could before we were due to go in November.

During the months leading up to our trip my friends at work made comments that the L would ask me to marry him....The thought of it made me really excited. One night, when me and L had been out drinking with friends, I drunkenly asked him if he will propose whilst in NYC. He said to me that he would love to but he just can't afford it. So that put me completly of the scent!!

Anyway, fast forward to November 2008. we are in NYC and L tells me that he has surprise planned for me whilst we were there. On our second day we did a 20 minute helicopter flight through Manhattan, past Central Park and around the Statue of Liberty. (It was amazbombs). I had thought L would ask me during the flight, but when he didn't, I thought that he wouldn't ask.

The next day, we walked up towards Central Park, where I was told, my surprise was waiting for me. L had booked us on a horse drawn carriage. Wow! I was so happy (massive SATC fan and have always wanted to do this!). The thought didn't even cross my mind that he was going to propose until the carriage stopped and L got down on one knee. It was so cold, I was wrapped up in huge blanket, scarf, gloves, the lot! He asked "THE QUESTION", opened the little wooden box and told me he loved me. I shouted "yes" and the rest is history! ❤️

That wasn't meant to be soooo long, got carried away re living the moment!!!!

He he ? love this!!

Here's mine, not as romantic as all yours though!!! lol

We have both been married before, i always said i would never get married again and take the mick out of weddings on tv. Well i treated the both of us to a weekend down Brighton we had been together for 6 months, we had a lovely romantic meal then went into a couple of bars and was now rather drunk!!! We was talking and marriage came up and i said that if asked i would. The next minute the OH was asking me to marry him ( he thought he better get in quick before i changed my mind!! lol) i said yes. I Sent texts out to my mates who we're all in shock as i always said i wouldn't and thought i messing around as i was drunk. Well i wasn't next morning we went round the lanes in Brighton which have loads of gold shops and found my ring. We went back to the hotel and OH went down on one knee and proposed.

Thanks LuckyLola!

KarenLisa our stories our special to us all however they came about!

Can I just ask you all especially those who are using Frances. Have any of you booked and paid your deposits for your wedding venues? I'm trying to get mine confirmed with a deposit but not having much look at the moment! The lines of communication between Frances and the Hotel don't seem to be up and running, although the Hotel have confirmed via email to me that the date is held for me! Have had contact with Frances and confirmed to her all is fine at the Hotel (even forwarded an email to her via me from the Hotel) with confirmation yet nothing is happening? Frances is still awaiting some kind of response from the Hotel from when she mailed then a couple of months ago, and is happy to wait and see! I'm quite concerned about this and not too happy about it either - is it just me?

Mazzab x

I'm having the Alexandra beach on 2 sept 2012 and Frances has confirmed this, i think she will deal with all 2012 weddings then 2013 cant remember when your wedding is hon sorry. She is off to to the states for a month soon I wouldnt be too concerned she wont let you down but if you are concerned you could always ring her office but dont forget the time difference and the winter opening hoursxxx

I wouldn't worry too much at the moment about it. When we saw her in July she said that she deals with all the weddings in April of the same year. We haven't heard anything from her or Ionian Weddings, but I expect to her from them around April. Frances is really well known on the island for being exceptionally good at what she does. In Greece, everything is done on "Greek time"!!!

I'm sure she will be in touch, but ring her if you are worried ! ?

Thanks girlies.

I was just a bit concerned because I'd emailed to enquire with her why a deposit hadn't been taken and although she still hadn't heard from the hotel, didn't seem too bothered which didn't put my mind a ease at all! I mean I would have thought she would have said please don't worry it'll be fine or that she would contact them again! After all she did email a couple of weeks ago saying it was wise to get venues booked as they were goin quick for next year, and where i'm getting married they only do 1 wedding per day! Im sure all will be fine, just panicking a bit will feel better once its sorted then you know no real hiccups should occur.?

Mazzab x

I know how you feel hun... We are they same, I will be glad when it is all there in black and white.

If you are still worried, why don't you email her and explain that you need to know the exact venue for insurane company, invitations, guest information or something?? Not sure if I am wording this right, do you know what I mean?

Just get something in writting to say your wedding date and venue- I think that is what we would do, it will put your mind at rest.

?

Hi am looking into booking with frances can somebody let me know what she like etc that has already booked with her

What is yours/your OH's name (if you want to share)?

Michelle and Simon

How old are you?

40

How old is your OH?

42

How long have you been together?

1yr 8mths

How long have you been engaged?

1yr 3mths. We got engaged quickly! We knew each other from school but hadn't had any contact for over 20 years. We met up again through Friends Reunited and, well, it just felt right from the start ?

Where are you from?

Ruislip, Middlesex

Have you got any children?

No

What made you choose Zante?

We wanted to get married abroad, preferably on a Greek island. We did a search on the internet and Ionian Weddings was one of the first websites that came up. When we had a look, we were really impressed with the amount of information and the fact that they gave a guide price on their packages. We loved the look of Cameo Island so that's what we went with.

What do you do for a living?

Personal Assistant

What does your OH do for a living?

Sales Manager

Hi, Kelnanf

I have booked her through Tsvili travel weddings for 2013 and met her at the London Wedding show a couple of weeks ago. She is lovely and very helpful. I have only book the date and venue so far with her but the others on here that are using her for 2012 say the same. Her prices seem very reasonable too. Hope this helps.

Hi thanks for the reply i have now paid my deposit with her

How are we all getting on with wedding planning Zante Brides? It's quiet over here !

Hi

think it will be quiet now till after Christmas I'm not doing anything else for the wedding until January xx

Was just wondering the same myself. Nothing to report here. I'm currently researching cake ideas. In fact maybe I should do a flash and you can let me know what you think!

Idea 2 - patterened

Idea 3 - floral

Idea 4 - A bit more traditional but loving the patterns

Idea 5 - Round

Idea 6 - flowers

I think I'm leaning towards 4 and 6. Maybe I prefer square ones? Who knew?!

ETA - These are some Ive pulled from Google. I know a great cake maker who's hopefully going to make one for me. She's really good, but not 'professional' in that she just does as a hobby rather than a career. So really, I've got free rein.

Wow all those cakes look gorgeous!

All quiet my end too although I wish the hotel where i'm getting married would either contact Frances or myself for a deposit then I know all is secure, and the venue where we are having our reception back in the Uk would get themselves sorted as to when their refurb is goin to be, can't book it until we know whether its goin to effect us or not! I tell ya the saying is true ' if u want something doing do it yourself'! This 'greek time' is doing nothing for my grey hair!

Mazzab x ?

Ooo I like them all ?..... But my fav is no.5, then no.1, but I really like no.6 too. ?

I'm sure it will all turn out just fine for you. I know what you mean about the "Greek Time", they are sooooo laid back over there!

I have come to a bit of a stop with the planning too... Got the main things done, dress, rings etc. Need to book a venue for the party pretty soon though. That's about it for now!

Hi,

I agree those cakes look lovely.

Luckylola, i'm sure they will come back to you soon but i agree it mut be annoying it just puts you at ease when you know it's booked. They've probably gone on a go slow as its out of season now and greek time lol

It is weird not having anything to do not like when you get married in England, i keep thinking there must be something. Although my weddig isn't until 2013 i've got all of yours took look forward to hearing about.

Karen