There’s a bewildering array of choice out there both in terms of designs and materials. Gone are the days when it was gold or nothing. More and more brides to be are choosing from a diverse range of materials for their rings, from white gold, to platinum or even wood for some of the more ecologically-inclined.

Further down the line, a lot of people reinforce their commitment with a platinum eternity ring

Widely accepted as a symbol of everlasting love, an eternity ring can really compliment an engagement ring and wedding band. Don’t get ahead of yourself ladies, but do browse to ensure that your set of rings work well together.

If you are planning a wedding probably one of the most expensive outlays you will have to make in your life and maybe more than once for many people. Whilst it is possible to search for cheaper companies to provide you with the various services you require such as photography and catering etc., your wedding rings are something that you may not have realised also that you can save some considerable costs with. Earrings are another

Some excellent examples from Love2Have for a selection of gold, silver or diamond earrings for men and women handcrafted in the UK.

It is traditional for couples to buy gold rings either in 9ct or 18ct or even platinum but have you considered the alternatives. Increasingly we are noticing that customers are purchasing silver wedding rings for the big day but this can be a mistake as silver is a soft metal and not very durable when worn everyday as a ring.

From their website: “Stylish eco friendly wedding gifts, from recycled glass vases to fair trade and sustainable photo frames & albums , organic fair trade cotton bed linen, soft sustainable bamboo towels, wine glasses made from recycled glass and a quirky salt & pepper set made from recycled pool balls!” are all on offer.

Worth a glance from any environmentally conscious hen party and bridal shower planner, I’m sure you’ll agree! They also stock a wide range of Green office products in their eco store at EcoCentric.co.uk

A quote from their website gives you a good idea of what they’re about:

“Neon Collective is a formation of like-minded people: designers, manufacturers and customers who share one core belief – looking good needn’t cost the Earth. All our products are extensively researched to meet the highest possible eco-credentials, and are available for you to purchase here”

To qualify as a supplier to Neon Collective, designers must fully meet their philosophy of responsible luxury: no animal-derived materials, no sweat-shop production and only the very highest in quality and design. Many brands have gone one step further by utilising techniques such as recycling and carbon offsetting.

As founder Clare Childs puts it: “Everything we sell is suitable for a vegetarian, vegan and vogue lifestyle.“

So if you can’t make it to the hen weekend – don’t be crushed by guilt, just buy the right-on hen something she’ll really value long after the pink deely-boppers have been canned! You can buy gift cards and even suggest ethical brands that they should stock in future seasons!

Boulters Restaurant and Bar has been called the ‘Jewel of the Thames’ and with uninterrupted views downstream towards Maidenhead bridge it is easy to appreciate why. In late 2007 the management were lucky enough to acquire this famous riverside icon and in June 2008 the refurbishment and restoration project began. Now you can enjoy this unique Restaurant on Boulters Island experience from early next year.

The upstairs terrace bar brings back the family dining experience with rustic pub dishes cooked for one person or a whole family. With stunning views overlooking Boulters Lock and the river, the terrace is a wonderful place to celebrate with well behaved and decorous hens, or take the wedding party.

The Jewel that has been missed by so many river users and the people of Maidenhead is once again sparkling. The management invite you to make a reservation from February 2009 and experience the changing seasonal flavours and colours of the best of the new Restaurants in Maidenhead.

The UK Wedding Forum offers a place to chat to like minds and get help and advice on all your wedding preparations. The forum is open to both brides and grooms-to-be, their relatives and friends, and most importantly to wedding planners looking for essential tips to help the wedding go off without a hitch. This new wedding forum is also open to companies offering goods and services in the wedding sector such as catering, venues, mobile bar hire, wedding sound systems and all the trimmings!

You might have a question about weddings abroad, or perhaps you’re wondering whether a church, golf club or even a boat is the best place to tie the knot. Whichever you choose you’re bound to run into another wedding event planner who’s seen and done it all before and can help.

Wedding entertainment is another area covered, will you choose a magician, live band, big name DJ or harpist for the reception? Meet and greet lots of entertainment professionals on the wedding forum and share tips and advice on bookings and hire costs.

Every possible item on your wedding checklist is covered, from budgeting, venue search, speechwriting, wedding photography all the way to the wedding carriage to whisk the bride and groom away.

So check out the UK Wedding Forum out now! http://www.ukweddingstore.co.uk/forum

Although the bride-to-be knew her head bridesmaid was a bit of a hell raiser, she trusted her friend and believed she would act in a reasonably appropriate way – especially as the bride-to-be’s conservative mother-in-law was attending the hen party. Once they got to the arranged venue the drinks began to flow and the party was in full swing. Suddenly, a large male appeared dressed in a fireman’s uniform. As the hen’s mother-in-law peered over, the hen’s embarrassment was clearly visible as she realised this man was a stripper. Although the mother-in-law didn’t approve, she allowed the mayhem to continue and watched the hen receive a dirty strip dance. Once the stripper had finished the hen apologised to her future mother-in-law, who told her not to worry as long as there wasn’t anymore ridiculous surprises in store. The mother-in-law excused herself and made her way to the toilet, as she opened the toilet door she gasped. She had found the head bridesmaid and the stripper fully engrossed in an awkward….position. The future mother-in-law stormed out screaming ‘you will never marry my son’, which caused the hen to break down in tears…..later that night the head bridesmaid was relieved of her duties.

2/ Hen group gives love bites to stag

When this relatively quiet hen group had made their way around five local bars the drinks started flowing and the night was turning naughty. Having wet their whistles thoroughly, the girls, feeling quite daring now, decided to move on. On their travels they passed a venue that was hosting a rather raucous stag party. The girls, now full of alcohol fuelled confidence, proceeded to walk in, take over the party, and cause general mayhem with the stag group looking bemused. As the night reached it’s pinnacle (meaning everybody was extremely drunk) the hen group got hold of the stag, stripped him naked and proceeded to produce a huge number of love bites all over the stag’s body. The next day the stag woke, looked in the mirror and realised that his wife to be might not believe that he had been in a fight involving lips………….the girls certainly left their mark on the stag.

3/ Hen sleeps with military, night before wedding

When one hen group walked into their local bar, they couldn’t believe their luck. The bar was full of soldiers in uniform. The hen was a little worse for wear, but in control. She casually walked over to the group of military men and sat on one of the soldiers knees. After hours of the hen groups flirting, they realised that they were the only ones left in the bar. The head bridesmaid looked around and couldn’t see the bride, she began looking around but she was nowhere to be found. After a thorough look up and down the street outside, the girls began hearing noises. They went back in the pub and followed the noise, which seemed to be coming from the cellar. They opened the door to the lower level and found the bride-to-be straddling one of the soldiers on a beer barrel…the hen turned around and explained that they had got lost and were innocently checking for vintage wines. Her wedding was the next day, which was apparently a fantastic occasion….poor groom.

4/ Wife becomes addicted to strippers after hen night

When one lady attended her first hen weekend, she never new how much fun she would have. This lady was married but had never experienced a hen night before. When she got there the girls passed drinks around and she was having a great time. As the head hen weekend bridesmaid made the announcement that a male stripper had arrived, the lady wasn’t sure what to think as she had never seen a real live stripper. As he began performing, the ladies eyes lit up like kids in a candy shop. They rubbed oil into him and proceeded to take full advantage of this naked man. The stripper had left his mark on the young ladies life as she slowly became addicted to strippers. She would go see the Chippendales and anyone else that would take their clothes off. She even arranged for strippers to come to her house and perform….the addiction got so bad she eventually had to see a counsellor to help ‘strip’ her of the problem.

5/ Hen and stag handcuffed together

As a hen party were getting ready for their big night out, across town a stag group were doing the same. The two groups, who had never met, left around the same time and sampled each bar along the way, not to mention most of its contents. At around midnight the two groups met in a bar and started to drink like Oliver Reed. As the night slowed down both the stag and hen were slightly more inebriated than the rest of the group. As they left the pub one of the stag’s friends pulled out a pair of heavy duty handcuffs and the rest of the group grabbed both the hen and stag….and a lamp post. They then attached the hen to the stag and the stag to the lamp post and then ran off. The pair stayed there till the early morning and unfortunately the stag’s fiancé walked past and found the two attached. She was enraged by the sight of her husband-to-be handcuffed to some strange women she didn’t know. The stag and hen were eventually freed by the fire services, who all had a good laugh about the situation….all except the stag who had to grovel throughout his honey moon……friends like these.

A hen night out in Liverpool can be one of the most outrageous and exhilarating experiences of your life. Liverpool has just been named European capital of culture, which is a reason for all you hen parties to go and enjoy, but don’t worry if you’re more into the club culture than the regular kind, because Liverpool has a fantastic, vibrant nightlife that is incomparable.

A hen party in Liverpool is perfect if you enjoy great live music, warm, welcoming pubs, superior clubs and unique cabaret venues. And if that’s not enough, you can always arrange a saucy strip dinner for the bride-to-be. Hen parties in Liverpool are making the strip dinner a popular dish on the hen activity menu.

Since the rise of the Chippendales, hen groups all over the country have been ogling over naked men, for a night of fun and laughter. This is a classic hen activity and having a strip dinner in Liverpool could complete the ultimate hen weekend…you will certainly enjoy the evenings (h)entertainment.

Just imagine; you and the girls piling into a restaurant, ordering some delicious tucker and helping it down with a nice glass of bubbly. All of a sudden, a strapping man enters the restaurant and you all stare with mouths open. The hen turns and comments, while the man heads towards your table. Then the guy you were all looking at starts peeling off his clothes to the excitement of your rowdy hen group.

This could be a fantastic way to end or start an unforgettable hen night out in Liverpool and can be easily arranged through the friendly team at Eclipse Leisure. They will set up the whole weekend for you, so all you have to do is turn up.

The hen party strip dinner in Liverpool is such a great way to stitch up, embarrass and down right humiliate the future bride. Or it’s exactly what the bride-to-be wants – just don’t let her run off with the stripper.