If you visited The National Wedding Show at the NEC last weekend, you will already be aware of what a great show it was! Thank you to all of those people who visited our stand at the show. If you missed it, don’t worry! The show is back in the Autumn.

We launched two brand new products during the show, our ‘Chic Classic’ wedding and evening invitations, and received some very positive feedback on both products. They are designed to be just as high quality as out other luxury wedding stationery products, yet less expensive. So in short, you can have your wedding cake and eat it without breaking the bank!

Yet again we ran our famous competition to win an entire suite of wedding stationery in a design and colour of your choice. This competition always proves to be very popular, and on this occasion it was no different, with no less than 600 competition entries! The prize is fantastic, as it includes all of your Save the Date Cards, Handmade Wedding Invitations, Evening Invitations, Order of Service Cards, Place Cards / Place Tags, Table Numbers / Table Names, a Luxury Table Plan, Menu Cards, Favours and Thank You Cards. What an amazing prize!

And so to the grand announcement of the lucky winner, who was chosen randomly from our very large box of entries. Last year we had a groom win the competition, and this year we have a lucky bride! Jodie Fletcher from Cannock, Staffordshire is our winner and she gets to choose her handmade wedding stationery very soon, as she is getting married in September this year. Well done Jodie!

For those of you who weren’t so lucky, you can enter the competition again in the Autumn, or in the meantime ask us for our latest special offers!

Wishing you all a very happy and exciting wedding planning process and a fabulous wedding day from all of us at The Designer Card Company.

It has been suggested that Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias may have secretly got married after she was spotted with what appeared to be a wedding ring on her finger.

The couple, who have been together for approximately eight years, were photographed having dinner in Hollywood over the weekend.

The former tennis star Kournikova caused a stir when they left the Madeo restaurant in Beverly Hills as two large rings could clearly be seen on her wedding finger.

One was the engagement ring she always wears, but it has been speculated that the other may be a sign the couple have walked down the aisle outside of the public eye.

Although 35-year-old Iglesias and Kournikova, 29, have always denied getting married, this is the second time she has been spotted wearing two rings.

The Russian-born sportswoman won Grand Slam doubles titles at the 1999 and 2002 Australian Open, while Iglesias is known for hits such as Hero and I Like It.

If you would like some bling on your wedding day, you may be interested in our Chic Square wedding invitations.  These can be embellished with circular, square or heart shaped diamante buckles, along with any ribbon colour of your choice.  As well as Handmade Wedding Invitations, the matching range includes Save the Date Cards, Order of Service Cards, Evening Invitations, Menu Cards, Table Plans, Table Numbers, Wedding favours and thank you cards.  Choose The Designer Card Company - experts in personalised wedding stationery.

Brides on a budget would struggle to beat the price of Asda’s off-the-peg wedding dresses, which start from just £60 - and that’s including accessories.

The supermarket caused a storm in 2006 when it first introduced its budget wedding dresses. They proved to be a massive hit and Asda introduced its latest range of cut-price wedding dresses earlier this year.

The new collection includes a bride’s dress, again priced at £60, and a groom’s suit for £40, as well as a bridesmaid dress at £14 for children and £28 for adults. That means you can dress the bride, groom, maid of honour and two small bridesmaids for just £156.

And if you’re looking for other ways to cut the cost of your wedding, how about 20% off your personalised wedding stationery?  Order 5 items or more from The Designer Card Company before the end of November 2010 and receive a whopping 20% off your total order.  And there’s no need to worry if you have not yet finalised all of the details.  We simply require your full payment for the items you need now and a £100 deposit for any further items you intend to order in due course to guarantee your discount.

The Designer Card Company offer a whole suite of matching handmade wedding stationery including the following items: Save the Date Cards, handmade wedding invitations, handmade evening invitations, Order of Service Cards, Menu Cards, Place Cards, Place Tags, Table Numbers, Table Names, Favour Boxes, Wedding Table Plans and Thank You Cards.

A real cheapskate might pop the question using a Hula Hoop or a can ring pull, but it is possible to propose to your loved one with something sparkly that looks impressive and yet still costs next-to nothing.

Tesco has just launched a £15 solitaire engagement ring made from 14 carat gold-plated silver ring, featuring a cubic zirconia stone.  And for a further £15 you can pick up a 2mm wedding ring for your bride-to-be, made from 9 carat gold.

The supermarket claims the rings look as though they cost hundreds of pounds, so your unsuspecting bride-to-be need never know the difference.

And if you’re looking for other ways to cut the cost of your wedding, how about 20% off your handmade wedding stationery?  Order 5 items or more from The Designer Card Company before the end of November 2010 and receive a whopping 20% off your total order.  And there’s no need to worry if you have not yet finalised all of the details.  We simply require your full payment for the items you need now and a £100 deposit for any further items you intend to order in due course to guarantee your discount.

The Designer Card Company offer a whole suite of matching luxury wedding stationery including the following items: Save the Date Cards, handmade wedding invitations, handmade evening invitations, Order of Service Cards, Menu Cards, Place Cards, Place Tags, Table Numbers, Table Names, Favour Boxes, Wedding Table Plans and Thank You Cards.

As you all know, you had the opportunity at all of these shows to enter our Autumn competition to WIN and entire suite of luxury wedding stationery.  The lucky winners of this competition will receive their Save the Date Cards, Wedding Invitations, Evening Invitations, Order of Service Cards, Menu Cards, Place Cards / Place Tags, Table Numbers / Table Names, Favour Boxes, Table Plan and Thank You Cards.  All to match, and all in any design and colour from our range.  What a prize!

The time has now come to announce the winner of the competition, chosen randomly from a huge pile of competition entries totalling over 400!  And for the first time ever, we have a lucky groom rather than a lucky bride!  The winner is Luke Worthington from Birmingham.  Well done Luke!

Luke will be marrying his fiancee Kathryn in December 2012, so lots of time for that all-important planning yet!  We would recommend that Luke and Kathryn send out their Save the Date Cards as soon as they have booked and confirmed their venue and caterers.  Then they can look to order their matching invitations 3 or 4 months before the date of the wedding.  The ‘on the day’ stationery can be ordered after that when names and numbers have been confirmed.

Congratulations to Luke and Kathryn.  For those of you who weren’t so lucky, you can enter again when we run the same competition in spring, so look out for that!  If you need to get cracking before then, don’t forget that you can receive a 10% discount if you order 3 or more different items from our range.  So for example, if you order your wedding and evening invitations, table plan and place cards from us, we give you a 10% discount in return.

Wishing you all the very best for your wedding, from all of us here at The Designer Card Company.

Abigail Clancy last night gave the first clue that her relationship with footballer Peter Crouch may be over as she took off her engagement ring.

The 24-year-old model and television presenter sought advice from Toni Terry, the wife of cheating former England captain John Terry, amidst accusations that Crouch had slept with a teenage prostitute.

As the friends went out horse riding, it was clear to see that Miss Clancy had taken off her diamond engagement ring.

A friend of Abbey said: ‘Peter can take that as a big clue as to how Abbey has reacted to his cheating. She is furious and feels used and mistreated. It could all be over.’

Miss Clancy and Mrs Terry, who are good friends, met at riding stables in Lingfield, Surrey, just a few hours after hearing allegations that 6ft7in striker Peter Crouch had paid £800 for liaisons with a prostitute in the back of a taxi and in a hotel in Spain.

On Monday night, a friend told the Daily Mail that it was ‘far from certain’ that Abbey would forgive the England player and take him back.

The friend said: ‘Yes, Peter is Abbey’s first big love and she adores him, but it is too early to say if she will give him another chance.

‘They have to meet face to face before anything can be decided as to their future, if any. She was filming when she got the news and had to put on a brave face and keep going, but she was absolutely furious. She just broke down in tears on the way home.’

Toni Terry, 28, stayed with her husband after he was accused earlier this year of cheating on her.

On Monday night, Miss Clancy’s spokesperson said: ‘Abbey always takes her jewellery off when out riding.’

Crouch started dating Miss Clancy in 2006. They briefly split that summer when he sent her home from the World Cup after she was involved in a cocaine scandal.

She was then accused of cheating on him by rekindling a relationship with an ex-boyfriend.

Any other engagement couples may wish to send out engagement party invitations.  A popular invitation style for engagement parties is our luggage label format, most commonly used for our Save the Date cards.  There is a whole matching suite of personalised wedding stationery to match, including handmade wedding invitations, designer evening invitations, Order of Service Cards, Menu Cards, Place Cards, Place Tags. Table Names, Table Numbers, Wedding Table Plans, Favour Boxes and Thank You Cards.

Chelsea Clinton married her long-time boyfriend under massive security at an elegant Hudson River private estate late on Saturday.

Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton announced in a statement that their daughter got married to investment banker Marc Mezvinsky after weeks of secrecy and build-up that had celebrity watchers flocking to the small village of Rhinebeck for the evening ceremony.

The location of the wedding, a Beaux Arts riverside estate called Astor Courts, was sealed off from the general public.

“Today, we watched with great pride and overwhelming emotion as Chelsea and Marc wed in a beautiful ceremony at Astor Courts, surrounded by family and their close friends,” Mr and Mrs Clinton said.

“We could not have asked for a more perfect day to celebrate the beginning of their life together, and we are so happy to welcome Marc into our family. On behalf of the bride and groom, we want to give special thanks to the people of Rhinebeck for welcoming us and to everyone for their well-wishes on this special day.”

It is estimated that hundreds of guests gathered at the historic estate near the end of a near-perfect summer day. The ceremony was conducted by a rabbi and a reverend as Chelsea Clinton is Methodist and Mezvinsky is Jewish. The couple read a poem by Leo Marks titled The Life I Have, according to the family.

The wedding was a mix of high society and high security. The road to Astor Courts was blocked off on Saturday, neighbours received a bottle of wine for their troubles, and the sky above was declared a no-fly zone by federal aviation officials. Police and security guards fanned out around this usually sleepy town.

In line with Chelsea Clinton’s desire for privacy, the family had released no details of the wedding before the date. But the scope of the event became apparent when more than a half-dozen busloads of wedding guests; men in black ties and women in dresses - were transported from a hotel in the village to the riverside ceremony.

Celebrities spotted in Rhinebeck for the event included actors Ted Danson and wife Mary Steenburgen, fashion designer Vera Wang, Madeleine Albright, who was secretary of state during Bill Clinton’s second term as president and Terry McAuliffe, former Democratic National Committee chairman.

With such an elegant dress designer as Vera Wang, we think that Chelsea would have chosen wedding stationery that is just as elegant.  Like our Chic 3-way folded wedding invitations, which feature your wedding RSVP cards tied into the invitations with double satin ribbon in a colour of your choice.  These luxury wedding invitations feature a wallet to hold other information such as directions, local hotel information, taxi information, gift information and venue information.

Matching personalised wedding stationery is available, including Save the Date Cards, Evening Invitations, Order of Service Cards, Wedding Breakfast Menu Cards, Wedding Reception Table Numbers, Wedding Table Plans, Wedding Favour Boxes and Thank You Cards.  These handmade wedding stationery items are absolutely gorgeous, and make a stunning addition to your wedding reception.

It is finally official.  Alicia Keys is now a married woman.

Alicia married her long-term boyfriend, producer and rapper Swizz Beatz, yesterday (July 31st) in a private ceremony on the French island of Corsica. Close friends and family attended including Alicia’s mother Teresa Augello, Queen Latifah and Bono according to RadarOnline.

Photos of the ceremony were posted on an Alicia Keys fan site showing Alicia dressed in a flowing white gown reportedly designed by Vera Wang. Swizz can be seen wearing a white tux and black bow tie.

The official wedding news comes after a false report by US Weekly claimed the couple married last weekend. The website was forced to retract the report, citing a “technical error.”

This is the first marriage for Keys and the second for Beatz. The couple are expecting their first child together, due in October.

For a black and white wedding, we’d recommend our gorgeous Velvet Blossom range of handmade wedding stationery.  The range includes everything you need, including Save the Date Cards, personalised wedding invitations, Order of Service Cards, Menu Cards, Place Cards, Place Tags, Favour Boxes, Table Plans, Table Numbers, Table Names and Thank You Cards.

The upcoming wedding this weekend of former first daughter Chelsea Clinton and her fiance, Mark Mezvinsky is being called the marriage of the century in the USA.

Most of the details have been kept secret but details of the location are starting to leak out. It is thought the ceremony and party will be held in the quiet town of Rhinebeck, New York.

It is rumoured that Clinton and her banker fiance, Mezvinsky will tie the knot at the Astor Courts, a grand and private 50-acre estate, totally hidden from prying eyes and television cameras.  So it seems they are all set for a private affair.

When she was a curly-haired young girl with braces growing up in the White House, her parents, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former president Bill Clinton, passionately guarded her privacy.

As Chelsea grew older she stayed almost completely out of the spotlight, except for when she campaigned for her mother’s 2008 presidential bid. It is no surprise that the publicity-shy Chelsea Clinton wants to keep her own wedding private.

Chelsea’s 32-year-old fiance is the son of two former Democratic representatives and a fellow graduate of Stanford University. The two first met when they were teenagers, but only started dating a few years ago.

It is thought the wedding will cost between three and five million dollars. It will not be televised or covered by the media.

It is thought that Chelsea wishes to keep her wedding colour scheme simple and elegant, and it is rumoured that a simple ivory and silver colour scheme can be expected.  If you’re thinking of choosing a similar colour scheme we’d recommend our Chic range of personalised wedding invitations.  They come with a whole range of matching handmade wedding stationery, including Save the Date Cards, luxury wedding invitations, evening invitations, order of service cards, place cards for wedding reception tables, wedding breakfast menu cards, Wedding reception table numbers, wedding table plans, wedding favours and thank you cards.

If lying around on a beach all day isn’t exactly your thing, an active honeymoon might be just right for you. There are several destinations around the world where you can combine city and culture, or surfing and trekking, whichever suits you best.  And what a perfect ending to your wedding experience!

If it is snorkelling along a picturesque coral reef, or walking around a giant aboriginal rock is what you fancy, then the Northern Territory region of Australia might be an exciting option. Australia is full of amazing things to see, and even though it takes a long time to travel there, the journey can easily be broken up by stopping off via the Far East or even the other way around the world to California. Making a longer trip will allow you to explore more of the world. You could even pop over to New Zealand, and if you are really adventurous hire a camper van and drive from the North to the South, to tour the beautiful scenery and surroundings that the country has to offer. Bungee jumping and white water rafting are just a few of the exciting things to experience in this part of the world.

If you wanted to stay a little closer to home there are some magnificent views to be seen in the hills of Scotland where people could go mountain biking, rambling or hiking to satisfy an active crave. The Lake District in the UK also has a lot of activities to explore whilst you are there, not to mention the beautiful scenery.

If you wanted to be a little more adventurous and experience a natural wonder of the world, a South African safari would certainly be active. Even though sitting on the back of a 4 wheel drive land rover for 6-8 hours a day does not sound that exciting, the energy that you use up looking out for those wild animals will certainly leave you with just enough strength to taste a zebra, crocodile or ostrich for dinner.

Whether it be riding an elephant in Goa, India, skiing the beautiful slopes of Aspen Colorado, or climbing across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, you are bound to find your dream active honeymoon somewhere around our amazing planet. Branded travel agents and various websites will give you all the information and inspiration that you will need in order to have the most creative and active honeymoon ever.

And how best to fund this honeymoon of a lifetime?  Most brides and grooms these days tend to ask their guests for contributions towards their honeymoon.  Many travel agencies now offer a service whereby your guests can contact them, state a reference number, and make a payment towards your bill.  And how best to let your guests know?  Within your personalised wedding invitations, that’s how!  Here at The Designer Card Company we offer luxury wedding invitations with wallets to hold additional information.  So if you wish to write a note stating how your guests can make their contributions you can do so and insert it neatly inside the wedding invitations.

We also offer a wide range of matching handmade wedding stationery, such as Save the Date Cards, Evening Invitations, Order of Service Cards, Menu Cards, Place Cards, Place Tags, Table Numbers, Table Names, Favour Boxes, Table Plans and Thank You Cards.