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Stellar wedmin advice from those in the know

LIFE OF THE PARTY

We don’t want our ceremony to be the boring part of our wedding that everyone must sit through in order to get to the party! How can we make it as exciting and fun-filled as the rest of the day to reflect our personalities?

The simple answer is to opt for a celebrant-led ceremony! They’ll work with you to make every aspect of your ceremony reflective of you and your partner’s personalities, so it’ll be bespoke and all about your love story. Every time a celebrant officiates it will be unique, different from the last one they did. Unlike a registrar, who must repeat the same script.

With a celebrant-led wedding, the party starts with the ceremony, and so it should! There are no limits to what you can do, say or even where you have to hold it. You can bin the rules, or better still, rewrite them. If you want to go down the aisle on a motorbike, do it. You can include quotes from your favourite films, incorporate your family and heritage traditions, involve your pooch, have a karaoke sing-song, the sky’s the limit. Why not stop halfway through and have a toast to your wonderful guests? Just think of the love invested in writing your own wedding vows that are personal and special to you as a couple.

Traditional, modern, funny, quirky – the power is all yours. You’ll have the most amazing memories and so will everyone else.

Jen Whitworth, https://jenthecelebrant.co.uk

THE PERFECT FIT

Please could you explain the process for having a wedding dress altered? I’m not too sure of the timings or what to expect.

As soon as you’ve found your dream dress, book your bridal seamstress. I can be booked up to a year in advance. Your wedding gown is likely to be one of the most important dresses you’ll ever wear, so whether you need a little tweak or a complete remake, you’ll want it to fit beautifully and feel comfortable on your special day.

Fittings are usually booked two or sometimes three months in advance, in the run up to your wedding, depending on the type of adjustments or style changes you need. I chat through all the details with you and we work out the best fitting schedule at our first meeting. Expect to have three or more fittings and remember: how your gown fits is unique to you, so extra appointments may be needed.

It’s really important to bring the underwear and shoes you’ll be wearing on the wedding day to every fitting in order to obtain the proper fit. Then, once all adjustments have been finished, a final fitting will be booked. This is often a good time to bring along your best friend or family member who’ll be helping you to get dressed on the day. I can show them how best to do this, as most dresses have a variety of hooks, poppers, zips and ribbons. I always press and steam gowns before collection, making sure everything is perfect.

The Old Milking Parlour

LETTER OF THE LAW

We’re a bit confused about what the new law surrounding outdoor weddings means for us. Can you explain it please?

Explaining confusing marriage rules is one of our favourite things! Outdoor weddings have always been allowed at licensed venues. The old rules stated that this had to happen under a permanent approved structure though, such as a bandstand or gazebo. Since April 2022, legal changes mean that ceremonies can take place outside anywhere in the grounds of a licensed venue, whether it’s in a pagoda, a temporary marquee or in the open air. Registrars just have to make sure the location is accessible, safe and suitable for the ceremony.

The options are enormous, which is fantastic news for all you lovely couples who want to say your vows surrounded by nature. The main thing that hasn’t changed is that the venue must be licensed for ceremonies, so it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to marry in your own garden, at the beach or on Glastonbury Tor. Indeed, you might discover your dream venue with the perfect garden, field or woodland and find it isn’t licensed. If so, just ask the owner if they’d consider it and get them to contact their local registration service. It can all be put in place in just a few weeks.

Amber Packer-Hughes, www.somersetweddingservice.org.uk ALWAYS

Our wedding will have a Wizarding World theme, how can we bring the magic to our wedding video?

Since you’ve opted for a themed wedding, I assume you already have trinkets, props, decorations and collectables to dress your venue. These are also crucial elements to add that sparkle and realism to your video. Props that can also be actively used in the film to add an additional layer of interest, as long as you’re up for a few theatrics! Things like magic wands and costumes will all ensure those special memories of the day are captured forever and elevate your wedding from muggle to magical!

Communication is key and if you have an idea of what you want in mind, talk it through with your videographer. Make sure they have the capability to produce it and film it to the quality you expect.

Here at Weathered Oak, I can produce anything from visual and special effects, to atmospheric music and movie magic with you as the star, meaning you’ll want to watch your video over and over again. I also happen to be a mega film buff, so it’s a certainty I’ll be just as excited about any themed project as you!

Dan Ackroyd, www.weatheredoak.uk

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A HELPING HAND

I’m finding that planning my wedding alongside working full time and looking after my family is taking its toll. A friend suggested I hire a wedding planner, but I’m not sure what to expect, I don’t want to relinquish full control. Can you tell me more about the process?

Most wedding planners will offer you a free no-obligation meeting, as I do, so that you can have a chat about how involved you want them to be. When I sit down with my couples, I discuss their wish list, budget, date, how they met, the proposal and much more. But, if you’d rather carry on planning the wedding yourself, you may want to just consider hiring someone to manage the big day only. This is a service I offer, whereby I look after everything on the wedding day, allowing you to focus on the occasion without any of the stress. I can even help to plan the hen, stag or family gathering if you’d like.

Planning and managing a wedding can be stressful, so let a professional lend a hand and you can breathe and enjoy your special day.

www.deanwardphotography.co.uk