The planning and the anticipation of your big day should be exciting, and your planner should encourage you to be involved at every step of the way. You should have regular, documented updates on all the meetings the planner has had, decisions taken, and decisions still needed. Where necessary, these should be supported by photographs (of flowers, table designs, etc). And there must be no surprises in the budget – with quotations given before you make your decisions.

The Floor Plan for every Medieval Castle was different but there were some rules of thumb that they pretty much all followed. Here are some guidelines to help you draw a castle floor plan that is realistic and attractive.

Most bridal events are held during the summer and spring when the weather is fair, there is abundance of sunshine and everyone would want to come out. These are the seasons that most vendors are able to offer their services. But you may want to do something different. You will want to have a unique wedding ceremony. Winter weddings are quite exotic and fun to have. They are also enjoyable because the season of Christmas is one in which many people get into the mood of giving and attending events. Winter weddings however require different planning. We list some of the ways you can get a great winter wedding with the least of funds.

The first thing you need to decide is what kind of a reception you want. Do you want something elaborate and elegant or more homey and casual? Your choice of venue can help you decide what would be most appropriate. If the reception is being held in a rustic old local meeting hall, you probably won’t want to plan a wedding reception complete with white tablecloths and fine china, for example. So take your cue from the reception facility that is available, and use your best judgment to determine the kind of décor that would best fulfill your idea of a dream reception.

· 3 c. pecans, chopped

When all is prepared, it is time for the bride to make her entrance. Music is a key part of any romantic wedding ceremony – and the couple will be able to choose not only the music pieces, but the style in which they are played. Perhaps they will opt for a string quartet, an Italian soprano, a harpist, or even the mellow notes of a saxophone.

Making a bird box is a nice quick project that will bring your garden to life.

After you’ve finished in the church, continue to the end of Carrer Sant Pau to Parallel, and head down into the metro station in the direction of the Funicular train. This is included in your metro ticket pas, and it is not necessary to pay again once you’ve entered the system. Ride the Funicular up to Montjüic mountain, and step outside and directly onto the fantastic cable car ride which will transport you up to the top of Montjüic and the castle. The castle used to house the military museum – a reminder of the Franco years – but was recently “given back” to Barcelona and offers fantastic panoramic views of the city and the port (and likely your cruise ship!) while combining historical elements such as the cannons and magnificent gardens which play host to open air cinema during the summer.

And then… dinner! Up to now, the food has simply been an introduction of what is to come. Imagine an open sided gazebo, myriad candles, and beautiful vases of flowers forming the centrepiece for each table. Each course is presented almost as a gift in itself, with elegantly designed plates of food, and copious quantities of excellent Italian wine. At least one pasta course will be offered – perhaps a pasta parcel stuffed with delicately flavoured sea bass in a lemon sauce – and then maybe a risotto course as well. There may be a choice of main course – or ‘secondi’ – perhaps guinea fowl, or fillet steak in a herb crust, or monkfish in a lime scented jus – and with the gazebo set on a terrace, guests can be free to wander between courses and soak up the atmosphere – perhaps with lanterns casting a soft glow around the gardens. Then it’s back for the speeches – and the desserts! In Italy, the desserts are usually served as a buffet, with so many mouth watering choices – semifreddos, ice cream cake, mousses, tiramisu, fruit. Italian ice cream – or ‘gelato’ is the best in the world and the more adventurous chefs are constantly developing new flavours – and new ways of eating ice cream and sorbets – such as deep frying in kataifi pastry, or mixing it at the table with liquid nitrogen ‘smoke’.

The words of the Italian marriage ceremony are very moving, with huge emphasis placed on family and on the joint responsibility of the couple to take care of each other and any children they may have. Although the mayor will undoubtedly conduct the ceremony in Italian, an interpreter will repeat his words and this alone creates a sense of occasion.