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Local experts offer big-day advice

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PARTY TIME PIZZA

We want something quirky and fun for our wedding catering, what do you suggest?

Meet the expert: Rob Targett is the owner of Box Kitchen Pizza serving organic wood-fired sourdough pizzas, buffets, salad bars, dessert tables and more for weddings, festivals, parties and events.

Rob says: Who doesn’t love pizza? Why not surprise your guests with delicious wood-fired pizzas made using organic ingredients served from a trailer? Our quirky horse trailer was bought, restored, and converted, and a huge wood-fired oven was installed. The trailer was finished at midnight on the day of our first wedding in 2022, which was a roaring success.

To cater for larger weddings, we’ve invested in a 1979 Mercedes-Benz truck that’s packed full of retro charm and kerb appeal. It’s large enough to turn into an outstanding pizzeria food truck on wheels and it waits to

With Love From Japan

We got engaged on holiday in Japan and want to add some Japanese touches to our wedding, what can you suggest?

Meet the experts: Cathy and Yukki run Zusetsu based in the Cotswolds, importing beautiful gifts from Kyoto and further afield in Japan. They are the UK’s largest supplier of authentic Japanese furoshiki which originated more than one thousand years ago in the old capital city of Nara, near Kyoto.

Cathy says: Why not carry a pretty furoshiki ring bag on your wedding day? This style, pictured, features a beautiful pattern called konpeitou which resembles confetti, one of the items that these cute bags can hold. It’s made with environmentally friendly bamboo handles and is the perfect pick for flowergirls to carry too.

We also supply wedding table favours and bridal party gifts wrapped in authentic furoshiki fabric. We offer many different styles of furoshiki fabric wrapping which can be used to present your gifts and ring bags, and deliver them ready for the special day.

We stock many elegant designs of authentic furoshiki. Most of the be restored and converted and added to the fleet for weddings later this year.

07794 418 207, www.boxkitchen.co.uk; www.facebook.com/BoxKitchenPizza; www.instagram.com/box_kitchen_pizza styles hold symbolic meaning in Japan, and they are often inspired by kimono patterns. We also design furoshiki here at Zusetsu (I’m a professional children’s book illustrator) and they are printed by artisans in Kyoto.

Unveiled

How do I go about choosing a wedding veil?

Meet the experts: Sarah Jane Bates is the head designer at Britten Weddings, a Wiltshire-based online boutique selling luxurious hand-crafted bridal accessories and veils.

Sarah Jane says: The veil was traditionally worn by brides to retain their modesty until officially becoming married women. Today, the veil is increasing in popularity and there are many options available. The right veil can transform your look and enhance your dress.

 LENGTH

The names of the different types of veil imply the setting they are expected to be used in so for example, if you want to make a dramatic entrance in a small church then the long cathedral-length style will provide the perfect pick.

A popular choice is the fingertip-length veil which is around 122cm long. These offer an excellent mid-way point between short and long veils and tend to work well with most dress styles. You can’t beat the romance of a longer veil and if you want one that’s longer than your gown, we would normally recommend you opt for something about 20 to 30cm longer than your train. The best way to measure for this is to stand up straight wearing your wedding dress and measure from the top of your head straight down the middle of your back to the end of the train of your dress. Add approximately 20 to 30cm to this measurement which will provide you with the perfect veil length. Don’t panic if you can’t find one that fits, we can make them to bespoke lengths.

 COLOUR

The main three colours on offer at Britten Weddings are ivory, off-white and white veils. Our ivory one is a warm colour that’s ever-so-slightly cream. The off-white style is a very pale ivory design and there’s also soft white and an optic white. We also stock champagne and blush pink tones in the traditional tulle. The tulle colour does not need to match your dress exactly, they just need to tone in well together. If in doubt, go one shade lighter than your dress. If you are unsure then order our tulle samples.

 TYPES OF VEIL

There are many different types of the veil. The most popular are single-tier styles, two-tier designs and barely-there veils. Single tier means that the veil flows from its attachment point (normally a comb) down the back. A two-tier wedding veil has a ‘blusher’ layer that can be pulled forward

Fabulously Floral

Meet the expert: Silvina Martinez yañez is the founder of The Glam Bijoux based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire selling handmade clay floral jewellery, perfect for weddings.

I want to wear a statement piece of jewellery on my wedding day that’s colourful and will coordinate with my bridesmaids’ dresses –what do you suggest?

Silvina says: Whether it’s an orchid, a poppy, a tea rose or even a succulent, why not wear your favourite flower in your big-day jewellery choices? I make floral jewellery and home décor by hand using clay which creates a keepsake piece for the big day and beyond.

https://theglambijoux.co.uk; www.facebook.com/theglambijoux; www.instagram.com/theglambijoux over the face. This is raised during the ceremony for the first kiss or at the exact moment you become married and is then swept back over the head to form a second layer at the back of the veil. We make our blushers 72cm long but they can be made to any length if requested. Our barely-there veils are probably our most popular type of veil. This refers to the way the veil is cut rather than the fabric used, and these veils will have no gather to them making them perfect for showing off all of the beautiful detail on the back of your dress.

MATERIAL

We offer many different materials for our veils from traditional tulle which offers a bit of body and volume and gives you that traditional veil look, to pure soft silk tulle which is one of the most luxurious of all our tulles that drape beautifully. The material you choose will be dictated by your dress and any edges or finishes that you would like.

 EDGES AND FINISHES

The finish of the veil can be just as important as its main design. Adding a lace trim, or a satin edge can help to add that important finishing touch. Fuller, structured wedding dresses tend to benefit from decorative veil edges, whereas softer dresses with a sleek look are more likely to suit a simple cut-edge veil. Equally a scattering of pearls or crystals or some personalised embroidery can make your veil extra special.

01225 985 711, www.brittenweddings.com; www.facebook.com/brittenweddings; www.instagram.com/brittenweddings

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