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Essex suppliers in the know solve your wedding dilemmas

QUESTION TIME

What kind of questions should we ask wedding venues when being shown around?

The most obvious is to check capacity, making sure the rooms you want to use can hold all the guests you need them to. Ceremony licensing is another key question if you’re looking for a legal ceremony on site. You should therefore check this is something a prospective venue can offer, as not all have a ceremony license. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t use the venue, but you may have to sign the legal documents on another occasion, or have a celebrant conduct a ceremony for you at the venue.

It’s also worth asking if there are any additional costs, as some venues charge clean up or rubbish disposal fees. You don’t want to be sweeping up or taking rubbish home after your wedding day! Finally, be sure to ask if there’s a coordinator/manager on the day to make sure everything happens smoothly, as worrying about timings on your wedding day shouldn’t be your concern. Nicola Denny, St Osyth Priory www.stosythpriory.com/weddings-conferance

A BIT CHEESEY

We really want a cheese wedding cake for our big day, but as it’s going to be held in August we’re worried about it collapsing due to the heat. Can we still have one?

https://david-islip-photography.co.uk This is a really common question, but the answer is simple: as long as the cheese is kept out of direct sunlight or heat, it can be brought out up to an hour before serving and it’ll be the perfect temperature. It’s fair to say that hard cheeses will always handle a warm day better than a soft cheese, but there’s no reason not to include your favourite bloomy brie or creamy blue in your dream wedding cheese cake.

As with traditional cake makers, there are also a few tips and tricks which can be used to ensure the structural integrity of your cake, such as bases and cake dowls, hidden from view but that keep your cake looking beautiful for your guests!

Once you’ve cut into your cake, you can move the layers onto their own platter, so that guests can tuck into each cheese, keeping your display looking gorgeous. Amanda Watson, Beau Fromage | www.beaufromage.co.uk

Our big day is approaching, and we’re thinking of booking a videographer, but we’re not sure what to look for. Do you have any tips?

The first and most important thing when looking for a videographer is to research whether they have a good reputation. You can do this by looking at their social media pages, and reading the reviews clients have left.

Secondly, you must love their work. Like photographers, videographers all have their own style, so make sure they have plenty of examples on their website and social pages. Don’t just watch one – watch a few, including one filmed at your venue, if available.

Like the photographer, you will both spend more time with them than any other person on the day, so it’s so important you feel comfortable with them. Having a sit down, face-to-face meeting is therefore a good idea, so that when the day comes you’re already friends.

Last of all, think budget – if you can afford a videographer go for it, as it’s the most common ‘I wish I had’ I hear from couples after the event. You won’t regret it! There’s no photo or friend’s phone that can capture all the magic of your big day. Tony Davies, Tony Davies Wedding Films | www.tonydaviesfilms.co.uk

SWEETS FOR MY SWEET

My partner has an incredibly sweet tooth – and so does all his family! What kind of treats should we consider for our evening reception?

We can offer several different tasty sweet options for your celebration. For a start, we have our full-size sweet candy cart, which is a proper wheel cart that rolls on its own wheels. This is supplied with 10 different sweets from the pic’ n’ mix range, giving you between seven to 10 kilos of sweets!

Alternatively, if your space is a little bit tighter, you may like our sweet Ferris wheel, which can be placed on a table and stands over three feet tall. With 16 large trays, it’s again supplied with 10 different sweets up to the same weight as the candy cart.

Chocoholic? Why not opt for our sweet chocolate box, which has nine compartments and can be filled with a variety of wrapped chocolate sweets? Or go completely different and hire our stunning ice cream tricycle, with six different ice cream flavours of your choice, plus sugar waffle cones and a side table with sauces and sprinkles. David Barker, Simply Sweet Candy Co | www.simplysweetcandyco.co.uk

MAKE THE MOST OF IT

We’ve been told by many of our married friends that the day goes too quickly, meaning you don’t get the chance to properly talk to your guests. What do you advise?

Why not choose a venue like ours, one that provides a ‘one stop shop’ and is ideal for friends and family coming from afar? With everything under one roof, this enables guests to focus on the big day itself, rather than concerns of travelling distance and traffic. With family rooms and a popular swimming pool within our Lifestyle Leisure Club, many opt to make a weekend of it. Licensed for ceremonies, you can tie the knot on the premises, then enjoy al fresco drinks on our picturesque patio, followed by a delicious wedding breakfast. We’ve even worked with our resident DJ for over 20 years, so it’s safe to say you’ll receive a professional service from an expert who will contact you beforehand to discuss your preferences. This means when your big day arrives, all you need to do is turn up and enjoy! Michelle Scott, Marks Tey Hotel | www.marksteyhotel.co.uk