Valverde Country hotel lavender detail
Joaquin Valverde
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7 Wedding Planning Essentials

Planning a wedding should be a joyous project. Some have the money …and prefer to place the entire process in the hands of a professional Wedding planner, but for many this is a work of love …and very much a part of your big day. If you want to be the Wedding planner yourself, then at least get some help …and the good news is that help is at hand – starting with this article, which gives you 7 wedding planning essentials:

  • Make sure your ‘dream wedding’ is realistic – Yes you know all about it – every little girl has her dream wedding. Your special day may have been played out in your head for as long as you can remember, but the first thing you need to do is consider if your dream is realistic. Create a budget and decide what is really possible. This doesn’t mean you need to burst your bubble – just make some adjustments.
  • Create a timeline – The essence of every plan is to create timelines. A good Wedding planner will usually work from the big day backwards, to ensure that everything has been accounted for long before you get to the big day. When all the plans have been decided on – then set the date!
  • Interview your service providers – The people you hire to carry out the important functions at your wedding can make or break your day. Get a reliable list of Service providers online and make sure you ask all the right questions, as provided in a good Wedding planner.
  • Get expert advice – There are hundreds of articles and blogs, written by professionals, at your fingertips to assist you with all your wedding planning. These too can be obtained online and give you invaluable advice.
  • Sign on the dotted line – Make sure that you pay attention to detail and have signed contracts with your service providers. Once again a good online ‘Wedding planner’ can give you solid advice regarding the legal obligations on both sides. Don’t let your big day be ruined by someone who didn’t make a written commitment!
  • Choose the right venue – The venue you choose can make your dream a reality, or turn it into a nightmare. Apart from it having the right look and feel – professionalism, versatility and years of expertise all need to be credentials held by your venue of choice. Ensure that the venue you choose can meet all your needs.
  • Go with your personal preferences – Whatever advice you may source and heed, the important thing to remember is that it’s your wedding and you need to have the wedding you Some people may want to centre proceedings more on spiritual rituals; others may want a wild party where the music is essential. Choose what works for you, but once again make sure the end result still fits into your budget and it has been planned accordingly.

We trust that these 7 wedding planning essentials, without going into too much detail, will help to ensure you have an enjoyable wedding, because your day needs to be special. A highly detailed wedding planner is advisable though and one is available online from the excellent wedding venue Valverde Eco hotel. Check it out …and happy wedding planning!

 

For more advice on how to plan the before and the during the wedding click here to download our Ultimate Wedding Planner.

Joaquin Valverde
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2019 – 2020 Wedding Trends

 

Wedding Trends for 2019

We’re already half way through 2019. Can you believe it? It means that there are some exciting times coming for people. One of the big events that people will be having this year is their weddings. If you’re planning to say I do in 2019, you’re probably doing a lot of research on what will be in for weddings this coming year. We have written about some of the wedding trends for 2019. If you’re planning to say I do in 2019, you’re probably doing a lot of research on what will be in for weddings this coming year.

  1. Bringing the outdoors in

  2. Grasses

  3. Layering Textures. …

  4. Wearable Flowers. …

  5. Unique Lighting. …

  6. Ruffles in Fashion. …

  7. Rise of the Monoflower. …

  8. Celebrations in the Round. …

  9. Velvet Everything.

  10. Overgrown garden vibes

  11. Colorful groom Attire

  12. Color block decor

Joaquin Valverde

engagement ring Valverde
Joaquin Valverde
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Should we have an engagement party?

So he’s popped the question, placed a ring on your finger and it is now official – you’re engaged to be married! Exciting times …and also a time that immediate questions start to be asked about the whole process to follow. One of the first will be “Should we have an engagement party?” Well, it’s one of those questions that may be best answered with a question …or a few actually …so ask yourselves…

Is it expected? – The answer to this is a resounding ‘No.’ Remembering that not all proposals are even made with an ‘engagement’ period in mind, engagement itself is not even considered to be absolutely necessary. Your family and friends will be happy to celebrate this time with you, but should not expect an engagement party and will understand that you have bigger priorities at this time.

Can we afford it? – The cost of your wedding, unless you are among the privileged few to whom money is no object, will be a major fact to consider …so do your sums before you even consider an engagement party, as it is a ‘nice to have’, rather than a ‘has to happen’. Remember there will be other parties as part of the run up to the wedding, which are considered to be traditional and more important than this one.

Are we ‘jumping the gun?’ – This is a question that some couples may might find absurd and even refuse to answer. They are engaged and therefore absolutely fixed on a fairly immediate marriage to follow! That may be so, but you may also be one of those couples that see engagement as a fairly long term, ‘trial period’ of cementing your relationship before an absolutely final decision of when to be married is made. If you are the latter, possibly having an engagement party is premature? It’s your call.

If we go ahead, do we invite everyone that will be at the wedding? – If you do, you will be the exception. Very few people can afford to have a very large engagement party, but that aside, an engagement party is usually an occasion just shared with immediate family and very close friends. It can be a small, cosy and far less costly affair. It’s not a bad idea to look for a versatile wedding venue that can accommodate an intimate party, as well as the main event, so you can get a feel for the place before the big day.

We hope that question “Should we have an engagement party?” has been answered for you with these questions, but always keep in mind that the only thing that is ‘set in stone’ about any wedding is that the Bride and Groom show up on the day and have the kind of wedding that they want to enjoy. Pretty much anything else is up to you, so go with your heart ….and your wallet!

 

 

For more advice on how to plan the before and the during the wedding click here to download our Ultimate Wedding Planner.

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Wedding Party @ Valverde
Joaquin Valverde
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7 good tips on who should really be in the wedding party

7 good tips on who should really be in the wedding party

Many married couples to be have sleepless nights about who should be in the wedding party ….and sadly a few arguments too. Why let this question cause you to have bags under the eyes come the big day, when there are just a few questions you need to ask yourself to help you decide. So here are 7 good tips on who should really be in the wedding party.

  • Gender doesn’t count – Remember that it’s not about whether you wanted the ‘Maid of honour’ to actually be the ‘Man of honour’ because the person you most entrust this honour to is ‘gay’ – or your Brother …or consider that your Father may be deceased, or through divorce is no longer part of your life, so you want Mum to walk you down the aisle. No problem. There are no hard and fast rules here. What matters is that the Bride chooses those closest to her and the Groom chooses those closest to him …even if the Best man is to be the Best woman!
  • Make each other happy – Following on from that point, if your marriage is to succeed, you are going to spend the rest of your life trying to make each other happy, so this is a great place to start! Decide at the outset to choose the wedding party that will make you both happy. If she wants to invite that Cousin of hers that you can’t stand, to be a Bridesmaid and he wants the guy who used to call you ‘Big-nose’ at school to be Best man …just go with it. It’s a great way to show each other you will also try to care for the people they like.
  • You can’t change your mind – Having said that, do openly discuss any reservations you have about certain people, for the simple reason that you can’t change your mind once the decision is made. So take time to discuss and think about the decisions you make.
  • Who will really be a part of your future? – To help you decide on the last point ask yourself these questions: “Who has been the most important to us?” and “Who will really be most likely to be part of our future?” Don’t be surprised if that Sister, who is always there for you in any kind of situation, takes umbrage to you choosing a favourite school friend who’s emigrating next year as the Maid of honour. Brothers and Sisters just like Mums and Dads, unless you have had a huge fall-out with them, should always be part of the wedding party anyhow, as they are most likely to be a part of your journey together.
  • Sometime size does count – Generally speaking, larger weddings do have larger wedding parties as there are more duties to perform and a huge wedding table at a small wedding is just plainly out of balance. Remember if the wedding is small, family members you would like to include can also be in other roles like M.C, ushers etc.
  • You wedding is not ‘payback time!’ – Regardless of how many weddings you have attended (or not attended) your wedding is not supposed to be the event that pays everyone who invited you (Or didn’t invite you) back. If you are on a limited budget, ask those closest to you and that’s that. True friends will understand that some people just have to – or prefer to have small weddings!
  • Choose reliable people – Remember that the wedding party are also the people who are assigned to carry out certain tasks– from arranging the build up parties to helping the Bridal couple choose everything from invites, to clothing, to a great wedding venue! Make sure that those you choose are people you can trust …and yes definitely include that Sister who is always a great shoulder to cry on. Things can get pretty emotional, so a close at hand support group are essential.

So, it’s really not necessary to have those sleepless nights or arguments at all. It simply takes a little careful thought, the tolerance that only true love can inspire and these 7 good tips on who should really be in the wedding party.

For more advice on how to plan the before and the during the wedding click here to download our Ultimate Wedding Planner.

 

 

 

Elize Mare Photography Wedding Photographer (34) [502848]
Joaquin Valverde
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Top 10 Wedding Planning Blunders – and how to avoid them

Sometimes the best advice comes from recognizing the old adage that you can learn the most from avoiding other’s mistakes – sort of like having a role model in reverse! Planning weddings is not the easiest thing and the importance of getting it right is so vital that, before you even start, perhaps we should review the areas in which others have failed. So, with a genuine desire to ensure that your wedding is as special as it can be, here are, in our view, the top 10 wedding planning blunders – and how to avoid them:
1) Choosing the wrong day – How many weddings have you attended that have been interrupted because it’s the final day of the World cup? …and I’m sure that there has been more than one occasion you have declined a wedding invitation because two friends have booked the same day! Yes it can happen, so do your homework.

2) Not allowing enough time – Following on from the last point, make sure you choose a day that gives you plenty of time to plan the wedding. You may be in a hurry to tie the knot, but don’t end up with a knot in your stomach because time is running out on you. Work backwards and plan a timeline first – then decide on the day.

3) Inviting the wrong people – This is a very sensitive issue. Discuss it at length with your spouse and ensure everyone who is important to both of you has been included. Have a ‘guest list with a check list’ to ensure no-one important has been missed.

4) Not observing family tradition – Although your wedding should be very much based on your personal preferences, remember that there may be certain family traditions that need to be observed – even if it’s just a prayer or a traditional dance, don’t step on your in-laws toes at the outset, by ignoring family tradition.

5) Choosing the wrong venue – This is a big one and a common one. So many tears have been shed because the bridal couple chose a venue purely to fulfil some dream type of location and ignored all the other vital aspects of the venue’s versatility, professionalism, expertise etc. When choosing your perfect wedding venue, ensure it has a great track record of hosting many successful weddings.

6) Leaving out important service providers – It actually happens, the big day arrives but the photographer doesn’t – the Bride says the Groom booked him/her and the groom says it was the Brides responsibility – Ouch! Tears before the honeymoon! Ensure there is a service provider checklist and one person is held responsible for all wedding planning.

7) Not checking on service provider credentials – Then there is the Photographer that does arrive, but he/she has obviously never shot a wedding and doesn’t even have a plan to ensure all aspects of the photography hare covered. Even if service providers come highly recommended, ensure that you interview them all personally to make sure of their credentials and you are on the same page.

8) Not signing contracts – Then there was the photographer that never arrived because he/she had double booked weddings and yours pays the least! Well, if you had been the one with a watertight contract legally binding him/her to a fat compensation fee on failure to arrive, I think he/she would be there! Have contracts with all service providers.

9) Blowing the budget – Possibly this one should have been first! As the fees start to add up, so many people find that they had underestimated costs and before they know it they’re taking a loan to try to make the big day happen. Not a good way to start a marriage. Have a solid budget that covers everything at the outset of the planning, …and stick to it!

10) Not hiring/using a wedding planner – Many people find out that they possibly should have just hired a good wedding planner in the first place, but if you feelyou can’t afford it or you really want to do it yourself, then at least use a good online wedding planner, like that provided free of charge by excellent wedding venue Valverde Eco hotel. It is detailed, contains great advice and covers every aspect of the aforementioned top 10 wedding planning blunders – and how to avoid them.
Happy wedding planning –and good luck!

 

For more advice on how to plan the before and the during the wedding click here to download our Ultimate Wedding Planner.

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Valverde Eco Hotel
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The comprehensive conference planner – where to start

An online guide for conference planners and organisers

 

So your company or your client have made a decision to hold a conference. The organisation and correct planning of it is absolutely essential and as the designated organiser or planner, your future could depend on it!  Fear not, this online comprehensive conference planner covers all the bases from start to finish. At the outset, as the organiser or planner, you will have a series of broad based aspects you need to consider before the actual planning even begins. These include, but are not limited to….

 

  • Deciding if you are able to do the planning on your own, or whether you will need help in the form of assistants or even some sort of committee, to whom the various members are assigned individual tasks

 

  • Ensure you understand the company’s vision and purpose of the event. The planned outcome of the event depends only partially on how well it is planned. Is it feasible in terms of your budget, time restraints and availability of all the attendees? – In other words, you need to ascertain not only exactly what is expected of you, but is it actually do-able?

 

  • Suggest to the guys at the top that you send out a mailer or social media post that asks potential delegates for a few ideas and suggestions. What kind of event would they like to have? Unless your bosses have already decided on a rigid format, ask if they want to do a lot of brainstorming, or should it be more teambuilding? – Or do they feel that good lectures would help them better understand their business? What about something totally different? – A green conference is topical and a great idea to educate delegates about the vital importance of preserving our ecology. This kind of feedback and involvement can start the conference on the right foot and get people more interested in it!

 

  • Having done that, you can now make a firm decision on what ‘type’ of conference it will be …and later, once your dates and venue are set, you can start sending out mailers and social media posts to all delegates to start spreading the word – and get people really excited! …but we’ll get to that….

 

Committee planner

 

If you do decide to create a committee to plan the conference, then use this planner to keep track of who has been assigned what tasks …and to give to all as a contacts list so there is a line of communication between you….

 

Download the planner today!!

 

 

Valverde Eco hotel is the ultimate conference venue, offering everything a company needs to ensure a well planned, reasonably priced, seamless conference experience. Find these articles and ‘The comprehensive conference planner’ on our website – or contact us to allow us to assist you with the planning of your conference. Remember we are also experts at ‘Green’ conferencing and ways to assist our ecology are included in every aspect of a Valverde conference. Happy planning!

tortilladepatatas
Valverde Eco Hotel
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Tortilla de Patatas – Spanish Omelette

Ingredients

  • 6 to 7 medium potatoes (peeled) and chopped into small cubes
  • 1 yellow onion (whole)
  • 5 to 6 large eggs (the better the eggs, the better the tortilla)
  • 2 to 3 cups of olive oil (for pan frying) – can also use Sunflower oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt (or to taste)
  • Sometimes I add a little bit of Spanish Chorizo to spice it up a bit (optional)

Cooking Method

  1. Cut the peeled potatoes in half lengthwise. Then, with the flat side on the cutting surface, slice the potato into pieces approximately 1/8″ thick. If you slice them thick, don’t worry—it will simply take a little longer for them to cook.
  2. Peel and chop the onion into 1/4″ pieces. Put potatoes and onions into a bowl and mix them together. Salt the mixture.
  3. In a large, heavy, non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Carefully place the potato and onion mixture into the frying pan, spreading it evenly over the surface. The oil should almost cover the potatoes. You may need to turn down the heat slightly, so the potatoes do not burn. You want them to slowly fry, not becoming crisp like french fries, but rather tender and creamy. It is important to use good olive oil, as the potatoes will absorb quite a bit of the oil.
  1. Leave the mixture in the pan until the potatoes are cooked. If you can poke a piece of potato with a spatula and it easily breaks in two, your potatoes are done. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula that allows the oil to drain and let cool.
  2. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat by hand with a whisk or fork. Pour in the cooled potato onion mixture. Mix together with a large spoon. Let sit for about five minutes.
  3. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a small, non-stick frying pan (approximately 9-10” in diameter) and heat on medium heat. Be careful not to get the pan too hot because the oil will burn—or the tortilla will! When hot, stir the potato onion mixture once more and “pour” into the pan and spread out evenly. Allow the egg to cook around the edges. Then you can carefully lift up one side of the omelet to check if the egg has slightly “browned.” The inside of the mixture should not be completely cooked and the egg will still be runny.
  4. When the mixture has browned on the bottom, you are ready to turn it over to cook the other side. Take the frying pan to a sink. Place a large dinner plate (12”) upside down over the frying pan. With one hand on the frying pan handle and the other on top of the plate to hold it steady, quickly turn the frying pan over and the omelet will “fall” onto the plate. Place the frying pan back on the range and put just enough oil to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Let the pan warm for 30 seconds or so. Now slide the omelet into the frying pan. Use the spatula to shape the sides of the omelet. Let the omelet cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the tortilla sit in the pan for 2 minutes.
  1. Slide the omelet onto a plate to serve. If eating as a main course, cut the omelet into 6 to 8 pieces like a pie. Serve sliced French bread on the side and open a bottle of your wine of choose.

Enjoy 🙂

pesto-2500-58a477d45f9b58819c90cb28
Valverde Eco Hotel
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Pesto Sauce Recipe

Our next recipe for the month of March is the famous Pesto Sauce. Salsa Verde restaurant means green sauce Restaurant and we love our Pesto on pretty much anything from Pasta, Fish, Meat and as a lovely salad dressing.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts or any other nut you can find if pine nuts are too expensive. I like to use walnuts or almonds
  • 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino or parmesan cheese

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

vintage wedding decor
Valverde Eco Hotel
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When a theme wedding becomes a dream wedding

Theme weddings are all the rage and as always we like to help with ideas for our Brides and Grooms to be. Some theme weddings are pretty bizarre, but unless you’re keen on tandem bungi-jumping or diving out of an aircraft with an instructor who delivers the nuptials in mid air (believe it or not these have been done) you might want to know about a few very popular themes that have proven to be great successes and could make your wedding pretty special. So let’s start with ABC (there will be more in articles to follow) …and look at three very popular ideas that could make your theme wedding a dream wedding!

A is for Antique

This is a popular wedding theme and is so picturesque and colourful, that it has fulfilled many a little girls dream on the big day. Starting with the romantic venue, make sure it fits the theme and is a venue that assists with your ideas. Everything is essentially ‘old world’ from the invites to the dress which should be the kind of thing Grandma might have worn at her wedding – or better still, Great Grandma! Many brides have actually worn their Great Grandma’s wedding dresses (with maybe a few modifications) at this type of wedding. Decor is maybe old ‘penny farthings’, or as the theme suggests, antiques of any kind. These should extend through from venue decor to table decor, which could be old books or lamps etc. It is a wonderful theme that lends itself to a sophisticated and romantic wedding …a great touch is for the Bride to arrive and be photographed in a vintage car. These are freely available for hire.

B is for Beach

An acoustic guitar softly strums ‘Here comes the bride’ (or maybe a more modern alternative) as the Bride skips through the sand to be welcomed by her Husband and the Vicar who stand in an arch of Sea shells. A soft sea breeze blows and the gulls above join the chorus – sounds idyllic? It is and it’s one of the most popular wedding themes. There are 2 words of caution though – WEATHER and BACKUP. Unfortunately these weddings are absolutely reliant on good weather so you need to choose your season (or even the exact day) very carefully and please do have a backup plan! You can also think about doing this inland (travel to the coast can be very costly for inlanders), just creating all the vibes of the beach in a versatile venue. There are so many things you can do to recreate the atmosphere of the beach, from shells and seaweed decor, to beach outfits …and even sand can be brought in for the adventurous. On or off the beach it is a fun, fashionable theme that can make a special day.

C is for Costume

There are basically 2 types of costume wedding. One is where a specific costume theme is chosen …and these can be just about anything from medieval to monster (A good one particularly if you get married on Valentine’s Day – another popular theme) and from Titanic to Transformers. You can have so much fun, providing you think everyone will really go along with it. Remember though that full costume can also be a costly business for your guests, so you can also do a ‘mixed costume’ theme, something like a ‘fancy dress’ party. This allows your guests to be creative and use the costuming they prefer or can afford.

We can help

Whichever of these, or something totally different, that you choose, make sure your theme wedding really does become your dream wedding by partnering with a reputable professional wedding venue like ValVerde eco hotel. We have an impressive wedding planner available for free online and can help with every aspect of your wedding, whatever your theme may be. Contact us for information, viewing appointments and bookings the minute you choose the big day!

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