HOT TOPIC

Local experts offer stellar advice on wedding dilemmas

CAPTURING MEMORIES

How can we capture amazing outdoor pictures at our spring wedding if we experience bad weather?

I always come to weddings armed with a boot full of umbrellas, waterproof covers for my gear, and even a poncho. We can go outside and capture some great shots even if it rains by using these items or any tree cover available. For example, this beautiful shot features a couple in the rain. Hopefully, you’ll be in the mindset to embrace your day no matter the weather and have maximum fun. As well as various umbrella options, I use off-camera flash and coloured gels to capture great shots. I can also add different effects to outside shots to light up trees and venues or liven up inside pictures on a rainy day.

SWEET TOOTH

We want to create a sweet table for our guests to enjoy, but we’re not sure where to start. What advice can you share with us?

Sweet tables are lovely additions to receptions and doesn’t always have to cost the earth. With such a huge range of sweets available, you can find something your younger guests will love as well as the adults.

The treats must be accessible to your guests, but you also don’t want the table to be in the way – the best location is preferably against a wall. Depending on your chosen venue, it could also be a good idea to have it in the entrance way or canopy area.

One of the best ways to make the station look gorgeous is using a great colour palette. You can then incorporate sweets and decorations that match to create a clean, fun and put-together look – pink and white shades are popular choices.

Try to have a variety of treats for guests to enjoy. Incorporate chocolates and marshmallows as well as confectionery options.

To make the display look amazing, you’ll want to cover the table with a cloth that ties in with your colour palette. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy; it just helps tie everything together.

Make your sweets table look fun and busy by adding different dimensions – this is what will make your table look luxurious. You can do this by having different sized mason jars and cake stands.

If you want to jazz up the table more, you could add flowers and a fun backdrop.

Daniel Burton | Daniel Burton Photography www.danielburtonphotography.com

Lots of photographers offer an engagement shoot, but we’re camera shy and don’t know if it’s for us. What would the benefits be?

An engagement shoot is a great way to get to know your photographer before the day and see their style of photography. It also gives the company an idea of how to get you engaged and capture those stunning shots without impeding your day.

Building your confidence is another good reason to take the team up on their offer; let them showcase their talent and see how amazing the results will be. It’s also often free and would be a fun experience for you both – you’ll even be able to update social media channels too!

Nathan O’Brien Nathan O’Brien Photography www.nathanobrienphotography.co.uk

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT

We’re thinking of booking our entertainment, but we’re a bit worried about booking someone online that we’ve never met. Do you have any suggestions?

Here at 2 of Harps, an international award-winning harp and vocal duo, we understand your concern as it’s not always possible to meet our clients face-to-face. Here are our top tips we use ourselves to help.

Just because you can’t see your musician live doesn’t mean you can’t schedule a video call. We always book an online video chat with our couples to discuss music choices, timings of performances, themes and more. Plus, we always play our harps and sing different song options so you can imagine what the music will sound like on the day.

Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions as the more you ask, the more at ease you’re going to feel. Include questions about song choices, setting up times, how much space the musicians need, if you’d like them to perform outside and more.

Lastly, check reviews and content online, which are great ways to establish how others rate the company.

www.gettyimages.co.uk

YOUR DAY YOUR WAY

We want a customised service to make our day more personal and we’re thinking of booking a celebrant. What would you suggest?

The beauty of having a celebrant-led ceremony is that you can choose to incorporate whatever you want into the day; there are no limitations or restrictions. You’ll work with your celebrant to create an exclusive ceremony that’s personal to you both, not a copy of someone else’s day. Here are some ideas to make the day extra special… ❤ Choose your own style and decide if you want a traditional, religious or humorous ceremony. Create your vows and include meaningful words that tell the story of your relationship. ❤ Allow your family and guests to participate in the ceremony, from saying a reading or poem to singing your favourite song. Or why not allow the rings to pass between guests before finally reaching you both? Each person can say a little prayer or wish. ❤ Include memorable moments such as a sand or candle ceremony, which can involve immediate family or friends and gives you a keepsake of the day. ❤ Why not change the seating arrangements? You don’t always need to have a centre aisle; this can be round or heart-shaped – the choice is yours. ❤ Ensure you create the wedding you want, let your emotions show and have the most amazing day.