HOT TOPIC

Our experts help you plan your dream day PERFECTLY PERSONAL

Q: We’ve booked a large venue, but now we’re having a small wedding in June under restrictions. How can we make it feel more intimate? The rooms in our historic venues range from intimate to grand, with spaces ideal for any occasion. For example, the Roman Baths is perfect for an elopement or a grand celebration with 150 guests. It’s suitability is all down to how you use the space. Holding a smaller wedding in a large venue has become the norm over the past 12 months. Here are some ideas to make the setting more intimate: ❤ Make use of the room’s features. For example, our venues have some beautiful crystal chandeliers, which make fantastic focal points for a ceremony or seated reception. ❤ Have all your guests on one table in the centre of the room to create an opulent dinner party vibe. ❤ Reduce the number of guests per table to increase table numbers. ❤ Use soft foliage to create a sense of enclosure. ❤ Divide the area into zones for dining, dancing and the bar. You can even hire in lounge furniture to create an informal, relaxed atmosphere.

Lizzie Marshall | Bath’s Historic Venues www.bathvenues.co.uk/weddings

WED-FEST

Q: We’re having a festival-style tipi wedding. What catering would suit this? We’d suggest something simple, tasty and easy to eat – all served from a food stall. Festival-style service allows for more relaxed timings; the stand can be open for a couple of hours, with guests collecting their meal at their leisure. Plus, with no need to clear away plates, it saves you precious time so you can move on to the next part of your day.

We’d recommend a couple of stalls: one for the main course and one for dessert, such as an ice cream bicycle. Our two catering options, Thali and Pieminister, both complement this style of wedding very well. The pies are served in eco-friendly boxes with mash, minted mushy peas and gravy. Alternatively, Thali dishes have a choice of curry, rice and toppings. Guests just need to collect their food and wooden cutlery, then dig in! It’s super-satisfying, eco- and budget-friendly and stress-free!

MUM’S THE WORD

Q: My mum is pretty trendy, but she has no idea what to wear to my wedding – help! So many of us mums don’t know what to wear to our children’s wedding, or even where to shop! There is so much fun to be had when looking for a wedding outfit. We love experimenting with our customers – trying different styles and colours and eliminating the ones that don’t work.

We all have a comfort zone, and many of us keep wearing the same styles. However, as we get older our shapes change and sometimes we need to adapt accordingly. In the boutique, we’ll encourage you to try things that you’ve never dreamed of wearing – and hopefully you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Once you have the outfit, we will help you choose a small fascinator or larger hatinator – and for some mums it just has to be a hat. You also want to be comfortable, so we offer elegant shoes in a range of heel heights, as well finishing off the look with the perfect bag.

THROUGH THE LENS

Q: My partner and I don’t like having our photo taken. How can we relax on the day? We hear this so often – it’s pretty much the norm! A big part of our job is to keep things as relaxed and fun as possible, so we can capture authentic moments. Here are our top tips for camera-shy couples:

❤ Choose a photographer whose style and personality you like. Ring them and have a good chat, or even better, meet for a coffee before booking. How do you feel when you spend time with them? Did you have fun and did they understand you? ❤ Have an engagement shoot. We definitely recommend this to nervous couples – it’s a great way to get to know your photographer, learn about how they work and create some gorgeous non-wedding images. ❤ Remember to be yourself! We love to see you in the moment, having fun and just being together. There will only be a few times during the day that we will ask you to look at the camera. ❤ Plan well, but then relax and let go! We love having a detailed plan and shoot list to work from. This means that on the day we can worry about organising groups and managing timings – not you! ❤ Trust your suppliers. You booked them for a reason, so just relax and enjoy the moment.

Jo Hansford | Jo Hansford Photography | www.johansfordphotography.com

SMELL THE ROSES

Q: After not seeing our loved ones for so long, we want to give something special for our favours. What do you suggest? There are high expectations for weddings this year and couples want to treat their loved ones to something special. Everyone will be excited for a good knees up, and I don’t think champagne-shaped bubble mixture will cut it now!

Our gorgeous sizzlers make great wedding favours. The little pots of fragrant happiness can be used over and over by your guests at home. They’re ideal for winding down after your big day, while remembering everything that was so special about it. Your wedding will be exceptional, so don’t settle for less when it comes to gifts for your family and friends!