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Image: www.vickyplum.co.uk Venue: www.wellingtonwood.co.uk Dreamcatchers www.notjustfornanas.co.uk HOT TOPIC

Local experts on the shape of things to come

THE WAY FORWARD

We’ve postponed our wedding until next year due to Covid and are wondering what trends and influences are likely to be around then. Valerie says: The pandemic has certainly had a tremendous impact on weddings and influenced couples expectations causing a shift in tradition. We have seen a significant move towards more intimate personalised ceremonies and micro weddings, along with growing love for celebrating outdoors with close family and friends. Although the crisis inflicted significant restrictions on weddings, it also inspired many couples to break free from some traditions to concentrate on what’s really important to them and their big day. With an increasing focus on sustainability, more than ever people are mindful of their impact on the environment, reducing waste, keeping costs down and the importance of making responsible decisions. This had led to rising demand for eco-friendly wedding planning and styling which can still be beautiful and glamourous. Here are a few tips on how to incorporate green credentials into your décor and table styling.

❤ Avoid single-use products and plastic that‘s harmful to the environment and local wildlife. ❤ Hire your decorations, table and glassware from a wedding supplier or stylist. It’s cheaper than buying your own and encourages a culture of re-use. ❤ Use vintage, preloved and reclaimed props such as old vases and bottles. Stoneware, copper and brass vessels look wonderful dotted around the venue tables. ❤ For cosy corners and chill-out areas think cane furniture and low-level pallet tables made from reclaimed wood with rugs, comfy pouffes and cushions, great for relaxed outdoor weddings at tipi, barn and marquee venues. ❤ Save energy and set the scene with romantic candlelight using lanterns, vintage brass or cut-glass candlesticks, or recycled glass jars with non-toxic natural beeswax or soy candles. Don’t forget to check with your venue first though to see if they allow real candles. ❤ Dress your venue with handmade decorations including macrame and bunting made from cotton or vintage fabric. Ribbons in your wedding colours look great too and can be used again after the wedding. ❤ For the tables natural hessian, cheesecloth or linen runners and napkins will set off your tableware beautifully and can be hired through event décor and other suppliers. ❤ For the flowers there are many eco-friendly options such as choosing a local sustainable florist, who uses seasonal flowers, foraged greenery or dried flowers in plastic foam-free arrangements. Succulents and plants are another great option and you can always donate your flowers to a residential care home or hospice afterwards and brighten someone else’s day.

Image: www.vickyplum.co.uk Venue: www.wellingtonwood.co.uk

We created this intimate, sustainable tablescape with local artisan florists Daphne and Doreen Flower Studio (www.daphneanddoreen.co.uk) who provided the stunning floral urn arrangements and beautiful hanging ribbons with tulips. The soft peachy blush colour of the cheesecloth table runner and muslin gauze napkins was achieved by hand-dying the fabric with leftover avocado pits and skins.

SWEET SENTIMENTS

We’re both great cake lovers and want a real showstopper for our wedding that not only tastes and looks great but is personal to us and reflects our lives and loves – is this possible? Terri says: Absolutely! You can have something bespoke to you and tell your story through your wedding cake, whether it’s by hand-painting key points in your life together on to it or by creating a unique design to reflect hobbies or favourite things. As well as how you want your dream cake to look, it’s important to factor in how many portions you require, so no one misses out on tasting it too. As far as we’re concerned, there are no limits and as much as we are truly happy to follow tradition and fashion, we do love a challenge! After waiting so long for our big day we want to make it extra special and as eco-friendly as possible. What would you suggest? Sue says: The last 16 months have been a wake-up call for all of us. Covid and lockdowns have made us stop and evaluate our lives more and think about what’s really important.

I was always taught that ‘good design is simple design’ and I think now, more than ever before, this is true. As weddings are being held again we all want them to be something to be remembered and those getting married now will be able to tell their children, ‘we had to wait to get married but when we did, we did it well’.

Couples want the best wedding ever yet are more aware that ecocredentials are important too. and want to tread lightly on the world, be impactful and create everlasting memories but with less waste and minimal harm to the environment. By hiring large trees, the impact is big, yet the carbon footprint is small as they will live on after the wedding, growing and thriving for years to come!

❤ Bringing trees inside, either in the venue or church, makes your wedding very individual to you. ❤ These cool palms look super stylish in the light and airy Lady Elizabeth

Wing at Norfolk’s Holkham Hall.

This four-tier, dairy-free cake was decorated with fondant icing and handpainted with silhouettes to ❤ Go big and bold with stunning birch trees. show various aspects of the couple’s journey together including the proposal at the summit of Mount Snowdon, important places they’d visited, their house, dog and other meaningful things. It was airbrushed in an ombre effect from white, through pink into purple to match the colours of the memory lane roses they had for their wedding ❤ These lovely bay trees look simple yet stunning in the light-filled Orangery at flowers. the Wilderness Reserve, Suffolk. Terri Newman | Cake maker | www.erivicacakes.com Sue Huckle | Owner | www.poshplants.com