HOT TOPIC

Local experts offer stellar advice on wedding dilemmas

Capturing Memories

We’re both a bit camera shy and anxious about photos on our wedding day, but we also want a lovely album to look back on. Can you offer us some advice?

As a documentary wedding photographer, my main focus revolves around capturing moments without you even realising; this is especially perfect for those who are a bit conscious in front of the camera. I often show my couples the photos taken, which immediately helps increase

Ring The Changes

With so many different materials available for our wedding bands, how do we know the difference and benefits between them all to make the right choice for our wedding day?

Since the bride’s wedding ring metal should be the same as her engagement ring, choosing a wedding ring can sometimes be easier than expected for the bride! However, the groom has a little bit more to choose from. The most popular wedding ring metals are:

9ct or 18ct white gold

White gold is a modern twist on traditional yellow gold. It’s made up of lighter alloys and is plated in rhodium, which is what gives it its bright ‘white’ and chrome-like shine. It’s chosen as a cheaper alternative to platinum or palladium, but it does need plating every couple of years or so (depending on the wearer).

9ct or 18ct gold

Also known as yellow gold, this metal is very traditional and 18ct gold costs more than 9ct because it contains double the amount of pure gold. A shiny, bright yellow metal that symbolises the light of the sun.

9ct rose gold

Rose gold was popular for lavish jewellery pieces in the 1920s, and this blush metal is returning to fashion. Rose gold looks beautiful on those with olive skin because of the pink, rosy tones and it matches other rose gold and yellow gold jewellery pieces very well.

Platinum

Arguably one of the most luxurious wedding ring metals, platinum is a very sought-after, strong and precious metal. It has anti-tarnish properties, so it keeps its beautiful bright shine without needing to be replated (unlike white gold).

Palladium

Palladium is a strong, light and durable metal that’s often chosen for its hypo-allergenic properties. Part of the platinum family but a cheaper their confidence. Everyone is much more relaxed a couple of shots later. Most people don’t like having their photos taken, so slowly building selfconfidence is vital to getting perfect wedding portraits. I also offer prewedding shoots where possible, which not only adds an extra comfort level for lovebirds but an additional set of images to add to the album!

Robbie Khan | Robbie Khan Photography www.robbiekhan.co.uk

alternative, it’s more precious than gold or titanium.

Titanium

Discovered in Cornwall in the 18th-century, titanium has a slight natural grey colour to it. It’s a wedding ring option if you want something light, strong and hard-wearing. Titanium is much cheaper than other metals like palladium and platinum, so it works well if you’re on a budget. If you do a lot of hands-on tasks or work in a manual labour environment, it could be the ideal wedding ring for you!

Natasha House | F.Hinds | www.fhinds.co.uk

Memorable Moments

Our wedding planner has suggested we hire a celebrant for our big day. Should we book one, and what are the benefits? In short, your celebrant will do everything to ensure your ceremony goes as smoothly as possible. They’ll help you create lasting memories with your own words of promise while getting to know you both to reflect your personalities into your ceremony. They’ll work with you to share personal touches and special words with your partner because you’re not restricted in what you say, unlike a clergy member or registrar.

You can hold your ceremony anywhere with a celebrant, like a beach or a back garden, and they should arrive early to ensure you have everything needed. When guests arrive, they’ll direct loved ones to the ceremony setting before the wedding party walks up the aisle.

Karen Hopwood | Coast Ceremonies

https://coastceremonies.squarespace.com

Blooming Beautiful

We’re having a marquee wedding and would love to include florals throughout the space. What can you suggest? The beauty of flowers quickly plays a special part in your wedding day as blooms transform a space while bringing a venue to life. Bringing the outdoors in is an epic way to experience joy throughout your wedding. Having a statement arch, romantic columns or showstopping pedestals are the perfect entrance to entice guests into the marquee.

Creating an atmosphere creates a story. Walking underneath floating ladders, beams and artistic overhead structures covered in foliage is a stunning way to build a vision.

Your venue stylist can decorate the tables with high and low flower arrangements on delicate stands or ceramic bowls to give height and fullness without restricting the vision of guests. These arrangements can be filled with colour, foliage or dried materials to make your dream a reality.

Bud vases are a beautiful way to fill spaces on tables between beautiful candles, napkins and sharing platters to add a pop of colour without taking up too much space. It’s also a great way to decorate guest book tables, bar areas or cake tables.

The sense of smell is essential when it comes to planning a wedding. Marquees can be amazing for holding the scent of fresh eucalyptus, the goodness of sweet peas and those delicious roses.

Jessica Fossey

| Ume | https://umefloraldesign.co.uk

The Magic Touch

My wife-to-be and I are looking for entertainment to keep our guests happy throughout our special day. Do you have any suggestions?

A fantastic way to keep your guests occupied and entertained on your wedding day is by hiring a magical host; this is someone who will look after your day and keep everything running smoothly while entertaining your guests simultaneously.

There’s always a lull at a wedding, usually during the drinks reception after couples are whisked off for photos. It’s a wonderful time to have a magician walk around your guests, creating memories with incredible close-up magic. A magician can also help break the ice as evening guests arrive too.

As well as performing magic, a host will make all your announcements throughout the day, such as your big entrance into the wedding breakfast. They’ll also ensure everyone is in the correct place for those crucial moments and will be happy to help with any issues that might arise on the day. But most importantly, the host will create magical memories on your special day for all the right reasons.

David Major | David Major Magical Host www.davidmajor.co.uk