HOT TOPIC

HOT

TOPIC

Stellar wedmin advice from those in the know

BEST OF THE SEASON

How can we give our venue styling an autumnal twist?

Start with your base when planning your reception tables, and you can create an autumnal style simply by using textured linens, coloured fabric runners or accent with a coloured napkins in burnt oranges, rich reds, and browns.

There are many fantastic autumn-hued florals, foliage and dried flowers available for centrepieces. Consider using amber-coloured glass, lanterns or hurricane vases with candles for an inviting glow.

Include natural elements such as wood, leaves and pinecones – you can forage or source these easily and they’ll store in advance of your wedding. Use seasonal produce such as gourds and munchkins as accents, and scatter nuts, leaves and red apples around your centrepieces to add texture and interest.

Recycled and seed paper stationery has an amazing colour and texture. Alternatively, you can write your guests’ names on dried leaves or tie them to pinecones to greet them as they take their seats. Your loved ones will adore seasonal favours too. Source or have fun making your own red toffee apples, or honeycomb pieces for a fun seasonal twist.

HEY BABY!

We have a gorgeous young baby and are quite concerned about looking after her on the wedding morning and during the day. It’s not a responsibility we want to put on our wedding party. What can we do?

Consider having your normal sitter to come and look after your baby or if that’s not possible look for a childcare service that offers an all-day and evening nanny service. By employing a nanny for the day and evening, you can keep your gorgeous little one in their normal routine without relying on family and friends who would be missing out on your special day.

When you find a nanny, ask to meet with them to see how they engage with you and your child as you need to be comfortable leaving them with that person. Discuss their routine during that initial meeting and write everything down to give to the nanny to follow throughout the day.

Autumn special

Kylie Christie, www.theoldkentbarn.co.uk

DELICIOUS LOCAL FARE

Can you suggest a mouthwatering autumnal menu to reflect the best of Kent?

Autumn is one of my favourite foodie times, when our best heritage and native vegetables are at their peak. So, I’d suggest the 12-hour potroasted whole beef brisket. We season our locally-sourced beef for 24 hours in my own stonehouse seasoning, then slow roast it, before pulling it in its own cooking juices. It’s served with my homemade mild horseradish mayonnaise and our very own beef dripping root vegetable crisps in a brioche bun.

To accompany this, I’d recommend our toasted broccoli, red apple, and almond slaw alongside mini roasted potato, wholegrain mustard and dill mayo salad, topped with rocket salad.

We can bring our airstream-style catering trailer to your wedding venue and lay our feasting, graze tables to coordinate with your wedding theme or palette.

In my experience, the love of a black and white image is still as strong as ever. When editing wedding photos for my couples, I give them a selection of black and white as well as colour. The monochrome image gives a photo a timeless quality like no other filter or effect and people do love these today as much as ever. These days it’s possible to edit with a high or low contrast, giving two completely different looks to the classic black and white image. People tend to like them as it can smooth out skin tone and texture! These photos can also achieve beautiful results in any weather condition, so it doesn’t matter whether the sun is too bright, or not bright enough, the results are always stunning. I have many in my home of my own family, which I love and they create a real feature in any room. A large canvas or print from your wedding day, will stand the test of time in this classic combination.

Nicola Tulip, https://nphotography.co.uk

https://nphotography.co.uk

TASTE OF AUTUMN

We’d love the flavours of our cake to reflect our autumnal theme. What can you suggest?

Autumn is a great time to get married, I adore the season and the beautiful changes it brings. Evenings draw in and the temperature begins to cool, which for me means cinnamon, salted caramel, pumpkin spice, and vanilla.

Some great flavour combinations for autumnal wedding cakes are: blackberry and apple, salted caramel and vanilla, carrot cake with cinnamon and vanilla, and pear and almond. These offer a heady choice for achieving that seasonal spice twist.

www.laurenpotterphotography.co.uk

PERFECT PREP

Is there anything we can add to the morning preparations to make it an even more special and memorable time?

I love when bridal parties get excited about the wedding morning, as it’s often overlooked. It’ll be a long day, so make sure you have breakfast taken care of. A selection of pastries will be welcomed by all, as will some bubbly to raise your first toast of the day when you’re all ready. At The Pretty Prep Studios, there’s a full-size fridge, so you can keep the bottle chilled until you’re ready for it and a separate kitchenette perfect for all your snacks and goodies.

You’ll have so much fun creating a playlist together. Why not set up a collaboration on Spotify and send it round to your bridesmaids to contribute their favourite tunes? You’ll find a bluetooth speaker in the studio, so you can sing along while you’re being beautified.

Remember, just because your wedding venue has a getting-ready room or bridal suite, this doesn’t mean it’s perfect for a large group of you. The Pretty Prep Studio is a big, airy space with enough room for all your bride tribe and all your suppliers. And with four stations for hair and make-up, there’ll be no more fighting for natural light, plug sockets or mirrors.

Samantha Beeny, www.theprettyprepstudios.co.uk

ALL TAKEN CARE OF

What are the benefits of having a toastmaster at our wedding?

Your wedding day is going to be one of the most special days of your life, and whatever the style, vibe or location a professional toastmaster will bring great value regardless of guest numbers.

As a wedding professional, a toastmaster will be there as part of the team working together to make your day fantastic! What would it be like if your guests are greeted as they arrive by a smart, uniformed toastmaster who not only welcomes them but keeps them informed of what’s happening and when?

What about you – the newlyweds? One of our key roles is to take away the stress and worry about your guests, the venue, the entertainment and the photographer, as well as the timing and the interaction between them. The toastmaster takes ownership of the running order of the day, ensures everyone has a smile on their face, and lets you focus on what matters most – each other!

How can we involve our beloved dog in our wedding day? He’s part of the family after all!

Our dogs are our best friends, so it’s no surprise that many couples want to involve them in their big day. We hope our expert guide will get you started. Just be prepared for them to steal the show! ❤ Give them a special role. From ring bearer to dog of honour or flowergirl, just remember they may need some one-to-one training in the lead up to prep them for their starring moment. ❤ Capture some paw-some photos. A popular choice is to have them greet your guests and have their picture snapped, rather than stay for the whole day. ❤ Pack the essentials. Make sure your dog has access to water, their dinner, plenty of treats and their favourite toy to keep them focused for photos, and of course, poo bags. ❤ Finishing touches. Incorporate your theme into their outfit or floral collar, personalised dog cake topper or even canine-inspired party favours. ❤ Hire a professional. Having your fur baby at your wedding completes your day, but you don’t want them to be a burden on your guests. That’s where we come in. We take care of all their needs, work with your photographer to get their attention and ensure they and your venue are happy.

Claire Lundie, https://herecomesthehound.co.uk

https://helenenglandphotography.co.uk BOHEMIAN RHAPDOSY

We’re having a boho-inspired wedding and would love to incorporate elements of our theme into our cake. Do you have any ideas?

This is still such a popular style and there are so many different ways to add boho elements to your wedding cake. Whether you’re going for dried flowers and pampas grass or full macramé styling, by discussing your wedding in detail during a design consultation, we can select elements and inspirations from all aspects of your day to incorporate into your cake.

Boho doesn’t have to simply mean going for a naked or semi-naked bake, there are so many things we can do with fully-iced cakes too. Touches of edible lace, metallics, vibrant colours, texture and wild flowers (re-created in sugar work) are just some of the fantastic ways to add themed flourishes.

Chelsea Prior, www.chelseabuns.co.uk

GEEK CHIC

I want our wedding cake to be beautiful and elegant, but my partner wishes it could reflect all things nerd! Is there a way of merging the two to keep us both happy?

Yes, this can happen! We recently had a couple who were Disney fans, but wanted to keep things subtle. This was the perfect opportunity for a traditional wedding cake with hidden Mickey ears piped on it. The couple also wanted to have some fun with handmade cartoon figures of them on top with their two dachshund dogs at their feet, so they could still be included in the wedding without being there. Just because your wedding is traditional, doesn’t mean you can’t have a bit of fun with a big-day bake that will please you both.

https://definingmoments.co.uk BIND US TOGETHER

I’m a Christian, but my husband-to-be isn’t so we’re struggling to decide what sort of ceremony to have. What would you advise?

In your situation, I’d recommend a brief registration of marriage appointment with a registrar followed by a bespoke ceremony with a celebrant – one who can include the religious elements you’d love, alongside your story and your own personal vows. The latter can be held anywhere too, so it should tick all the boxes.

Every celebrant has their own position on including religious content, so look around carefully. Personally, I’m very happy to include religious aspects if they resonate for my couples. My Church of England upbringing schooled me well for this! I give my couples lots of time to talk about exactly what elements each of them would like included. For example, a hymn or Christian reading that wouldn’t be permitted in a legal ceremony, or the traditional pattern of a church ceremony with wording unique to you. Maybe you’d like prayers or blessings? We can work together to create a ceremony that’s totally yours, while finding a middle ground that feels right for you both.