Month: October 2017

Edible Wedding Favours

Having a wedding favour for each guest is not only a lovely surprise for your family and friends, but it also allows you to channel your creative side. Try and pick an item that fits in with your overall theme if you can and something you know your guests will enjoy.

Sometimes it can be hard to pick something that’s going to appeal to both men and women and to all ages. So an edible favour is an obvious choice because it will delight everyone universally.

There’s a huge scope of options when it comes to this choice, you could go for something as simple as a single chocolate, up to elaborate items like homemade jams or mini cakes.

Try and find something that’s going to fit in with your overall budget and will be appealing to everyone.

If you’d like to chat about this or any other aspect of your wedding day plans, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly.

 

Sweet Treats

It’s a safe bet that most people love a sweet treat. Weddings can be very long days for guests, if they’ve had to get up early, make a long journey etc, they may not have eaten properly for hours and would like nothing more than a treat to whet their appetite before the meal. Think about everything from a single macaroon, to an iced cookie, mini cake, donuts.

 

Savoury

Cheese is a great choice, especially if the couple are big cheese lovers but don’t want to go all out on a cheese wedding cake. Think about some mini varieties of your favourites parcelled up with crackers and even a personalised mini cheese knife. Or what about a single piece of sushi or bento box? Chutneys are also a good choice, as are some mini loaves or artisan styles of bread packaged in personalised paper bags. And the piece de resistance has to be Tayto crisps and bread which guest can keep for their midnight snack.

 

Personalised

Any kind of edible favour will be even more appreciate if you can personalise it. It will of course take a little extra time and effort but if you can afford do to it, it’s really worth it. You can put each guests name on the item, or perhaps find out their favourite flavour of whatever you are offering – be in a cake, macaroon, cookie, jam or drink.

 

DIY

If you’re a dab hand and making things at home, then this is the perfect time to flex those muscles for good. Think about making things like Jam or honey in personalised jars. What about whipping up some Sloe Gin, flavoured vodka, or homebrew? Or why not let the guests get in on the DIY action with some jars filled with hot chocolate or cookie mix?

 

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Dangling Wedding Decor

When it comes to wedding décor, it can be easy to forget about maximising the vertical space you have at your disposal. Hanging or dangling décor can look absolutely show stopping and make the most of your wedding venue.

It requires a little bit of extra thought and you need to let your creativity run wild. You can use pretty much anything in a vertical fashion and tie it in with your theme. For example, if you wanted to channel an Alice in Wonderland style feel then you could suspended china cups, pocket watches or books! The list is endless and the only limit is your imagination.

Lights of course are a biggie to consider and will look jaw dropping. But dangling décor can be budget friendly too, especially with paper items such as pom poms, paper lanterns and streamers.

If you’d like to chat about this or any other aspect of your wedding day plans, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly.
Lights
Lights work so well as a dangling feature and they ramp up the romantic atmosphere like nothing else. Think about simple additions such as subtle hanging tea lights or mason jars filled with tea lights or some battery operated LED’s. Why not have hanging lanterns of differing sizes. Or for something a little quirky get some industrial style bulbs or get curtain style fairy lights to hang over the tables.

 

Florals
Traditionally florals were focussed on static table centrepieces, but there’s so much more you can do with florals for your décor. Turn the chandeliers in the venue into floral chandeliers or get creative with some DIY floral hula hoops. Suspend chic flower pots, or consult with your florist about some bespoke floral installations or garlands to suspended over tables.

Paper Fun
Paper décor can look really eye-catching, yet it can be very friendly on your budget. Pom poms look incredible suspended over tables, as do paper Chinese lanterns. The beauty of these items is that they are inexpensive, easy to source and come in a whole range of colours. Also think about paper streamers and ribbons.

 

Quirky
Finally, don’t be afraid to let your imagination run wild when it comes to dangling décor. Almost anything can be used in this way. Items such as birdcages, photos, parasols and umbrellas can be used to great effect. Think about suspending your escort cards for guests, or why not have some moss letters suspended too? If you’re following a particular theme then incorporate this into it as well. If you were following a Mad Hatters Tea Party or Alice in Wonderland themes, then why not have some pocket watches or teacups suspended from the ceiling?

 

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Blended Family Weddings

Today, the idea of the traditional family has changed. Often couples can come to a wedding with children from previous relationships, or indeed their own parents may be separated or re-married and there could be step parents and step siblings to contend with. None of that is a bad thing. There are so many examples of successfully blended families who get on very harmoniously.

That said, weddings can put stress on even the most easy-going of families. Things like the walk down the aisle can cause potential problems if say a bride has both a step-father and father she’d like to have involved. The same could be said for the speeches, the top table seating arrangements and more. And that’s just when all parties get along, when they don’t, it can be even trickier to manage.

All in all, it can be a minefield for couples. However, with a bit of planning and thought, there’s plenty of ways to keep all sides happy, so you can get on with enjoying the day.

If you’d like to chat about this or any other aspect of your wedding day plans, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly.

 

Get the Kids Involved

If you or your partner have children from previous relationships, then it’s important to try and make them feel like they are a big part of the day. Get them involved in the planning, give them specific tasks and let them know, the day is about them too. You’re essentially bringing two families together, so it’s about more than just the couple. A new trend from the other side of the Atlantic is to involve the step children in the vows, which is something to consider.

 

The Walk Down the Aisle

While traditionally this sees the father of the bride walk his daughter down the aisle, in a blended family situation this can be different. Sometimes a bride might have a really good relationship with her step-father for example and would like to try and include him too. A nice compromise is to have the walk in two parts. So have the step-father walk the bride down half the aisle, then the father walk her down the second half. Or if the aisle is big enough have one on each side. Or you could decide to try something new and walk down solo, or ask you mum or brother to do it and take the pressure off the father/step-father situation.

 

The Top Table

This can often be a bone of contention if there is already some discontent within a blended family. Normally the couple’s parents sit at the top table with the bridesmaids and best man/groomsmen and the priest or celebrant. However, when step parents are involved it can often mean the table would be enormous. But don’t feel under pressure to conform to any set layout. You could simply have a sweetheart table with just the couple and set the rest of the bridal party at one or two other tables. You also might just want to have the couple and your children or step children at the top table. There is no right or wrong way to do it.

 

The Speeches

Again, the speeches are an area of the wedding steeped in tradition. Generally speaking the father of the bride, father of the groom, the groom and the best man will speak. But there is no reason you have to stick with that order at all. There’s nothing to stop the bride saying something, or having the mother of the bride speak instead of the father or step-father. If you’ve got step children and they feel up to it, why not have them make a toast? Again, don’t feel under pressure at all to stick to convention. Do what works for your family.

 

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Pros and Cons of a Restaurant Wedding Reception

Restaurant weddings have become increasingly popular in recent times. Ideal for smaller, more intimate wedding parties, this is also the perfect choice for foodies who want to make the most of their budget.

Look for restaurants that offer private dining spaces, flexible menus or indeed special tasting menus and somewhere that has a beautiful location to boot.

While the pros are obvious, there are of course some compromises to be made with this sort of wedding reception, however if you’re looking for something really different, then it’s well worth considering.

If you’d like to chat about this or any other aspect of your wedding day décor, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly.

 

Pros

The Food

If you and your partner are major foodies, then of course, choosing a restaurant wedding is a no brainer. You can expect a superb level of food, as well as service to match. Wine choices will again be more varied and succinct with the food. Chat to your prospective restaurant about what they can offer in terms of even multiple course tasting menus and wine pairing for something really special.

 

Bespoke

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with the traditional hotel/ballroom style of wedding reception, a restaurant reception will automatically be something a little more special and unique. Of course it’s something that will have to fit with other considerations such as numbers, but you can be guaranteed a really bespoke experience.

 

Small Numbers

Speaking of numbers, this is a key deciding factor for whether or not you can have a restaurant style wedding. Generally speaking you’ll have to have smaller numbers then you would for a more traditional reception, so keep this in mind when considering your choice.

 

Maximise budge

If you’ve got a smaller budget to play, with a restaurant wedding means you can really make the most with it and get more bang for your buck so to speak. The food will be better, the service will be excellent and you can make more of a splash for smaller numbers.

 

 

 

Cons

No Band/Dancing

This might be a deal breaker for a lot of couples and generally speaking you won’t be able to have a band and dancefloor as you would with a traditional hotel style wedding. That said, if your restaurant has a private dining room option, check and see if they can accommodate you in some way. However overall, you’ll need to accept that the music and dancing will be absent or very different.

 

Decor

There won’t be as much scope for décor as there would with a more traditional wedding reception. Of course you can still ad you own touches, but these won’t be on the same scale as they normally would.

 

Accommodation

There won’t be accommodation attached to your restaurant, generally speaking, so this may cause problems for your guests in terms of where they will stay.

 

Location

Often, good restaurants tend to be located in urban areas, so if you want a country feel, this may not be the right option for you.

 

 

French Romance Wedding Theme

French romance. It often doesn’t get more beautiful than that for a wedding theme and it’s one that is a universally chic choice that will stand the test of time.  Think dreamy and ethereal colours and textures of creams, pinks, French greys and Versailles style gilding.

Elegant draping and romantic fairylights help to set the scene, as well as candelabras, blush florals and chic Chiavari or Hannah Jane chairs.

Of course French food and drinks are key. Think an array of sweet treats like macaroons, mini cookies and pink champagne too.

If you’d like to chat about this or any other aspect of your wedding day décor, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly.

 

Colours

Getting the colour palette right, will really help to set off this stunningly romantic wedding theme. So consider carefully choices such as pinks, blush, creams, gilding, French grey and lavender. Be creative with how you use these fabulous colours. Think about having them in your flowers, bouquets and bridesmaids dresses as well as the general décor.

 

Ethereal

Channel the dreamy French romantic feeling with lots of draping and fairy lights. Think about using draping on entrances, from ceilings and on chairs to really ramp up the look. Intersperse with romantic fairylights, curtain lights and plenty of candles in varying sizes. Also use pin lighting, gobo lighting and coloured lighting to great effect.

 

 

Table Décor

Soft colours and a touch of gilding are key for this look. So consider having floral centrepieces, tall candelabras and lots of candles. Think lanterns filled with florals, gilded glassware, antique style menus and beautiful Hannah Jane or Chiavari Chairs to complete the look.

 

Food and drinks

When it comes to food and drinks, the French are masters, so why not incorporate it into your wedding day? Think Macaroons, croquembouche towers, elegant French fancies and lots of sweet treats, like delicately iced sugar cookies. And don’t forget the pretty pink champagne in antique style glassware with non-alcoholic versions on offer too.

 

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