This week we added the Diamond category to our website after several people asked us to include this and acknowledge the 60 year milestone. It’s also quite timely as The Queen and Prince Philip will be celebrating their diamond anniversary on the 20th November.

As you can imagine, it’s quite difficult to buy for this celebration unless you have an account at De Beers so we’ve added some of our favourites and will be looking out for suitable additions over the next few months. Please feel free to email us with any suggestions.

We would like to share one particularly special (and free) gift that you can organise for a diamond couple though. Everyone knows that it’s possible to request a 100th birthday telegram from The Queen, but did you know that you can also apply for a celebratory message for 60th, 65th and 70th (and every year thereafter) wedding anniversaries? All you need to do is to apply directly to the Anniversaries Office at least three weeks before the date. Details can be found here.

Now that summer has started, it’s an ideal time to take full advantage of the good weather and let those warm rays spice up your love life. Here are a few tips to help you plan the perfect romantic picnic…

The Food
The trick is to keep it as simple, yet as luxurious as possible. Include
foods that can be easily eaten with fingers such as crusty french bread, mini cheeses, ripe tomatoes and juicy strawberries. Avoid foods that will need cutlery or extensive chilling such as chocolate or fish. A bottle of wine will add to the meal, but do remember to pack whites in a chilled cooler so that they are ready for drinking.

The Equipment
A tin or hamper containing icepacks should suffice. Don’t bother with fancy plates or lots of cutlery. They’ll just create more washing up when you get home. You might want to invest in a durable picnic rug with a waterproof base and don’t forget the wet wipes. You’ll need them after indulging in all that finger food!

The Setting
It may be that you already know a perfect spot. If not, then choose somewhere with space, short grass and trees for shade such as a park or a country house garden. Riverbanks and beaches may sound appealing, but you may spend more time fending off wildlife and sand than actually enjoying your food! If you can’t be bothered to negotiate the masses then why not stay in the garden (providing you have the house to yourselves).

The Timing
You’ll want to find somewhere suitably secluded when you arrive at your destination so either get there early and or go for a late afternoon when the crowds have moved on. If you want to do something really spectacular, you could find a spot with a good viewpoint and watch the sunset together.

The Bonus
It’s those little touches that can really make a memory so try to add something special. Play your favourite romantic CDs in the car to set the mood, make a list of the top ten things you would like to do together, take your camera and create a photo album of the outing. Keep it fun and you’ll have a romantic picnic that will stay in your memory for weeks to come.

We recently wrote a piece for the free evening paper, The London Lite.

This was for their boys’ zone section entitled:
The Lite Guy Guide to… Choosing A Wedding Gift
and was published on the 5th June 2007.

With the wedding season upon us, we described 5 ways in which men could pick the perfect gift.
And the best tip we can offer, for anybody in that position,
is to make sure your gift is bought with the couple in mind and if in doubt stick with the classics like a silver photo frame, or a hamper set.