YOU’VE spent thousands on preparing for the big day – your wedding!

You have slipped into that gorgeous off-the-shoulder ivory gown and have been primped and preened so that your face glows radiantly and your hair will look striking throughout the day.

And then you gently amble down to the ceremony in your dad’s clapped-out car, or a newish vehicle borrowed from a friend.

This is often the case with many weddings.

Transport for weddings tends to be an afterthought, a mere 10 minute discussion over dinner where you agree to use any old vehicle from any old company as long as it’s cheap and clean.

But wouldn’t you rather make a ‘real’ entrance to your wedding?

Wouldn’t it be magical to turn up in style like an MGM movie star, with heads turning and onlookers watching you in awe?

It is probably every little girl’s dream to get married and to feel like a princess for the day, and the way you appear at the church or other venue for the event is just as important to this fairytale as the cake, the flowers and the catering.

And Douglas Reid has the most spectacular and wow-inducing mode of transport of all – helicopters!

Douglas started company Avanti Helicopters two years ago from Great Blakenham in Suffolk, aided by his partner Mandy Pollard.

But this isn’t a mere hobby for Douglas, flying was part of his career in the army and he really knows his stuff.

After joining the army as a boy soldier 23 ½ years ago he was in the armour corps for 15 years before he finally got to grips with aircraft.

He retained a position as a pilot in the army for six and a half years before completing his term in the forces in the year 2000.

Far from retiring from his passion for flying, Douglas continued to work as a freelance pilot, transporting sporting stars, celebrities and businessmen across the country in his glamorous new role.

But two years ago, the ambitious Scot turned his attentions to setting-up his own dream company where, obviously, flying would be the main body of the job: “I researched the market and saw a gap from Norwich down to North London for this and decided I could do it as well as anyone else,” he said.

“I realised there was a lot of potential and a lot of opportunities for corporate work.”

And so Avanti Helicopters was born.

This unique and stylish way of travelling is on offer to all people for all purposes, from weddings and pleasure flights, to charter work.

Douglas has undertaken several general charter contracts, which simply involve taking clients from A to B. And many of these clients are successful businesspeople who want to fly within the UK and to permitted European countries in privacy.

High profile users of Douglas’s expert transport facility have included supermodel Claudia Schiffer, Westlife, Frankie Detorri, Charlotte Church and Richard Branson.

Another source of business for Aventi is through being involved in filming and photography, where aerial shots are required.

Douglas has most recently used his flying skills to assist in the making of Matthew Vaughn’s new film Stardust, featuring Sienna Miller, Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert Di Nero.

But even if you aren’t a Hollywood star or movie director, Avanti’s services are still available for your photography and filming needs.

Perhaps the most exciting and flourishing area of Avanti’s business is the ability to offer wedding transport with the ‘X Factor’.

If you are looking for something unique, exhilarating, and out of the ordinary for your wedding then you couldn’t get more unusual than a helicopter.

Whether you want to arrive at the wedding, leave the wedding, or leave your reception with oomph, Avanti can adapt to your needs (so long as you don’t want them to land in your small back garden).

Grooms might even be inspired by Daniel Craig in his latest film to meet their beloved bride at the wedding ceremony in true Bond fashion!

Mandy added: “Often it’s a surprise from the bride to the groom or from the groom to the bride.”

Avanti works by leasing out helicopters from commercial operators, giving the company access to a variety of aircraft up and down the country. This ultimately provides a level of brokerage to the prospective client. And although most of the helicopters are in standard colours, Douglas divulged that he had recently contracted out a shimmering pink model for one client.

The interiors of the helicopters can be decorated with ribbons, balloons and other items of a client’s choice, and champagne can be made available on board for that extra little something special.

Douglas will fly the helicopter into your chosen spot as discussed and will be glad to let your photographer take as many shots as are needed to fill your wedding album and remind you of your happy day.

The photographer could even, by arrangement, go up in the helicopter to take overhead shots of the wedding party.

A wonderful idea for summer wedding receptions in large grounds is to hire Avanti for pleasure flights.

Lasting anything from four minutes to 15 minutes, Douglas will take guests paying for their seats for mini flights, so that they have something really amazing to remember your wedding by.

Pleasure flights can take up to four passengers on a single engine craft.

“But what if the weather is bad?” I hear you cry.

Well, Douglas assures that helicopters will fly in most weather unless thick fog literally engulfs them, but if bad weather does ground a helicopter or the flight is impossible then customers will be entitled to a full refund.

In fact, Mandy says, one of the only times that weather has been an issue is where Douglas was flying in Scotland and visibility was so poor that the helicopter had to be landed in a motel car park. An overnight stay was required before the journey could begin again.

But this is a very rare occurrence, I am assured.

As most wedding flights take place at the height of summer, extreme weather is hugely unlikely.

Talking about why couples should consider using Avanti Helicopters for their weddings, Douglas said: “I guess it’s because it’s totally different to anything else you’d get in an average wedding.

“It makes a great entrance and it’s exciting not only for the passenger but for the guests too.

“Your wedding is a big day and you should try to make the most of it.”

Pricing is tailored to the individual specifications of each individual at Avanti Helicopters and you should try to call and book well in advance, especially for summer events.

To find out more about Avanti Helicopters or to book a flight for business or pleasure call 01473 831125, or visit www.aventihelicopters.com