HOT TOPIC

Photography courtesy of https://angelawardbrown.com HOT TOPIC

Our experts answer your big-day questions

DARLING BUDS

How can we make sustainable choices when it comes to our wedding flowers?

Meet the experts: The team at Milston Flower Barn promote sustainable floristry through teaching eco-friendly techniques in their workshops, but also by gently influencing couples when choosing their wedding florals.

Susanne Kennedy tells us: In our sustainable floristry workshops we have a very hands-on approach where participants will make their arrangements using traditional methods like the Japanese Kaizen (better known as Flower Frog), moss, wood or chicken wire as a base, and also traditional flower arranging vessels with metal cut-out lids that you can often pick up in charity shops. There’s a small theoretical part in our workshops where we talk about where our flowers come from and what socio-economic and environmental impact the international flower trade has. We discuss the pros and cons of floral foam and how it impacts not only the environment but also your health. Another fun part of our workshop is learning about seasonality and the availability of English flowers. We love showing our participants the abundance of an English flower garden which proves there’s no need to ship the blooms in from 6000 miles away. Forage, grow and shop local!

When helping our couples select their wedding flowers, we aim to implement sustainable principles as much as possible. We encourage choosing local, seasonal blooms but we’re not going to turn away a winter bride who wants roses in February. We don’t want our couples to feel pressured to have the perfect eco-friendly wedding. Instead, we are suggesting constructive ways that they can reduce the environmental and ethical impact of their big day. This can mean avoiding single-use plastic and floral foam; re-using church arrangements in the main venue or donating them to a charity after the celebrations so that the blooms can be admired for longer.

At Milston Flower Barn we offer a selection of courses and workshops that teach a range of different skills required for wedding flowers, events and church decorations. All our classes can be personalised for a group of friends and family, making it a fun-filled evening in your own home or at Milston Flower Barn.

FUN WITH FITNESS

I want to enjoy fitness in the lead-up to my wedding but I can’t seem to find active wear to properly fit my curves, can you help?

Meet the expert: J.LUXE.FIT is a Gloucestershire-based, start-up brand of high-performance activewear that’s supportive, comfortable and affordable, designed for women will fuller figures. It was founded by young entrepreneur Jordan Tuck, 23, during the first lockdown in August 2020. As a curvy woman, Jordan was unable to find matching leggings and sports bra sets that provided the support she needed so she spent six months researching and testing the best fabrics, designs and samples.

Jordan says: Check out the launch of the latest women’s activewear collection that now includes bras and leggings up to size XXXL. Created in collaboration with the digital content creator and body confidence influencer Sophie Lewis, who I met on Instagram, the J.LUXE.FIT x Sophie Lewis collection is now available and is the sixth collection since the brand launched. It includes zip-front sports bras and squat-proof leggings, complete with deep side pockets, and it represents a huge milestone for me, not least because of the exciting collaboration with Sophie Lewis, but also because this collection heralds the expansion of sizes in the range from XS (6-8) to XXXL (24-26).

When I started J.LUXE.FIT as an inclusive, empowering activewear brand, it was important to me to be able to offer a range of sizes that provided the support and confidence for women of all body types to work out alongside others in the gym or classes. With this collection, we have achieved that and having listened to our customers, with Sophie’s help, we have introduced bras with adjustable straps and now zips at the front of the design, making it easier for women to put them on and take them off comfortably, especially after a good workout.”

Sophie says, “I love what JLUXEFIT stands for and what it represents. I think everybody should have the chance to feel confident in their activewear and I’m honoured to be a part of a team of powerful women, that Jordan has built up over the last two years. After trying the items, when Jordan asked me to collaborate on a collection with her I had absolutely no hesitation in saying yes.”

The collection includes: ❤ Chocolate brown zip-front sports bra, £28 and core high-waisted leggings, £40 ❤ Steel-grey zip-front sports bra, £28 and core high-waisted leggings, £40

ADVENTURE LOVERS

We’re both animal lovers and want to enjoy a day out together instead of a separate hen and stag event. What can you suggest?

About the venue: Sudeley Castle & Gardens is one of Gloucestershire’s most loved and top-rated historical sites with more than 1,000 years of history. It’s rated amongst the top attractions for ‘Things to do in the Cotswolds’ and is the only private castle with an English queen, Katherine Parr, buried in its grounds. There are 10 gardens, exhibitions, an adventure playground, and more to explore.

Claire Ridley, Editor, Your Glos & Wilts Wedding says: The main event for 2022 is the Sudeley Sculpture Safari, a procession of life-sized, naturally-made sculptures featuring rhinos, hippos, zebras, orangutans and elephants, among other much-loved creatures of the animal kingdom. The trail aims to celebrate them all and spreads a universal message of conservation and peaceful coexistence with nature.

As well as more exotic animals, visitors to the castle will also encounter a giant hedgehog sculpture, which tells the story of one of Britain’s precious and endangered species.

The trail appeals to all ages, and visitors have the chance to also learn about the natural world while finding the sculptures dotted around the grounds.

Sudeley Castle & Gardens | 01242 604 244 | https://sudeleycastle.co.uk

We want a fun idea for a hen and stag activity, what do you suggest?

About the venue: Conveniently located near Bath, Bristol and Swindon in Chippenham, Wiltshire, Drive-Tech at Castle Combe is a great place for a hen or stag gathering.

Jayne Cooper tells us: There’s nothing like a bit of adrenalin-pumping fun to get everyone revved up! A karting Grand Prix is an ideal way for groups of friends and family to experience some thrilling action-packed adventure with plenty of track time. The attitude of the staff help to make Drive-Tech the best karting experience with plenty of time spent in the carts and a racing format keeping it competitive throughout.

Party in the fast lane during the day and then head into town and turn it up a notch for the evening! There’s no shortage of nightlife ideas and places to stay close by to the track.

Drive-Tech | 01249 783 010 | https://drivetechltd.co.uk