Alison Gale, of Purple Tiger Weddings. DA5691A WOMAN who was born and brought up in south Wiltshire has returned to the area to set up her own business.

Alison Gale read business at Cardiff University and has spent the last 11 years in marketing roles with companies including British Gas, Alliance & Leicester and T-Mobile.

She gained a diploma in interior design before leaving the commercial world last year to have a baby.

The family has now moved back to Salisbury and Alison decided to set up her own business, Purple Tiger Weddings, offering a range of wedding stationery, favours, reception and table decorations.

"I wanted a fun name and one that would stay in people's minds," she said. "I have always been quite creative and I love designing and working with couples, helping them plan their wedding."

She said the stationery, favours, reception and table decorations were all designed and tailor-made for each wedding.

"I never make two the same," she said, "And I love having a theme. At one wedding I have done, the groom was a fireman and the bride arrived by fire engine - there were little buckets of sweets on the tables and bigger buckets full of rose petals.

"I take the couple's brief for colours, theme and style - I like being able to offer something that bit different and that is what people want for their wedding.

"I can also help couples with initial inspiration and help them find a venue."

Alison offers a free stationery design service and can produce invitations, menus, order of service, thank-you cards, place names and table plans.

And she can carry the design of the stationery through to the table decorations.

She also supplies a range of wedding favours and gifts, including organza bags containing beaded candles, chocolate balls, jelly beans or scented soaps, miniature silver pails of fortune cookies, ribboned boxes filled with Belgian chocolates, happiness tea and seeds of the flowers used for the bride's bouquet.

A particular favourite of Alison's is a colourful beaded basket, which can be carried up the aisle by bridesmaids, used as table centres with flowers in them or given as gifts to lady guests.

There are sterling silver candleholders, which, Alison says, are ideal for miniature wedding cakes given to each guest, table centres of candles with floating petals, glass nuggets and sparklers.

Alison is about to launch a range of gifts for bridesmaids and groomsmen and is looking to expand into christening gifts and cards.

For more information ring 01722 501859 or visit www.purpletigerweddings.co.uk