HOT TOPIC

Our local experts solve your wedding dilemmas

STYLING YOUR DAY

I have been looking at Pinterest every night and my moodboard is starting to become a bit jumbled. How do I get back on track? Try not to become overwhelmed by all of your choices. As soon as you start to worry, you start to put more pressure on yourself. Your wedding day should be a day to remember, not a day to worry about the bridesmaid dresses matching the florals.

Before you start to look through your moodboard, sit down with your partner and begin to visualise your day, what few words immediately come to mind? Rustic, elegant, intimate? Then also think about what you don’t want at your wedding, a few things may have slipped through the net and made it onto your current moodboard without you realising.

Baring these few words in mind begin to have a look through your current moodboard. Save the first five to 10 images that immediately jump out at you, but try not to save five of the same things, keep it a mix of florals, table settings, stationery etc. Each image should bring something different to your new moodboard.

With your saved images write down what it is that you love about the image. Is it the colours, the textures, and do these match up to your vision?

As you start to pin your images to a new board these should begin to reflect your overall vision and colour palette. If you do begin to be swayed by other pins, resort back to this mood board and think to yourself will I love this image in one, two, three months’ time or do I just like it in this moment?

When it comes to your moodboard, this should be a reflection of the both of you and your personalities. Jodie Knott | Knotted in Love www.knottedinlove.co.uk THE RIGHT RING FOR YOU

My husband has no idea what wedding band to go for. Please can you give me a lowdown of the basics we need to consider? When choosing a wedding band for the gentlemen, there’s still so much to consider. Firstly, what area of work is he in? For instance, if he works in construction, it’s best to go for a rounded profile, this way, it’s less likely to get in the way. Always find a ring that works with your every day, a bulky ring won’t be the ideal option if he’s an active person, outside or inside of work.

Next it would be best if you thought about the aesthetics of the ring. Does he usually wear jewellery? If so, what’s his preferred metal? What type of style does he have? Is it modern or alternative? Matching your ring up to his everyday look will only complement it.

Lastly, you have the practical elements of the wedding band. You should always opt for the most durable and hardwearing metal so that it lasts for years to come, even with everyday wear. We recommend platinum, a metal that’s both strong and resistant to tarnishing. Shannon Mugford | Joshua James www.joshuajamesjewellery.co.uk

THE VENUE CHECKLIST

I have just got engaged and have started looking at venues. My mind is boggled, where do I begin? There are so many venues out there it’s no wonder you’re boggled! The key thing which any venue will ask first is how many guests. Make your list, argue about your list, and come up with a number. Then consider are all those people coming for the whole day, or are you having an evening do? Do you want to have a civil or religious ceremony? Are you wanting a specific type of food? Will you have a live band or a DJ? Do you want the whole place to yourself? Do you prefer a modern or traditional setting? Have you got a budget to work to? All of these questions are really important to have clear in your mind, and will define the starting point for any venue discussion.

Next, decide on a date. With pandemic restrictions, a lot of weddings have had to be rescheduled, so you can expect venues and suppliers to be busier than usual, therefore availability is key. You might need to be willing to compromise.

For a small Yorkshire wedding with total exclusivity, consider The Yorke Arms in Ramsgill. For larger weddings, consider Bowcliffe Hall. Both come with dedicated teams ready to make your wedding day dreams come true. Laura Shinkfield | Bowcliffe Hall & The Yorke Arms www.bowcliffehall.co.uk | www.theyorkearms.co.uk Myself and my partner are passionate about sustainability. I want my wedding to be absolutely stunning but am unsure about what flowers https://clarecoleman.com to choose without them all being from overseas. Any advice? Sustainability in the wedding industry is a hot topic. The great news is that making positive changes with a conscience doesn’t mean compromising on style.

Whether you feel that a small bouquet of wildflowers or having lots of flowers is important to your wedding day then we have many ways of creating incredible designs in a more sustainable way using these simple techniques: Floral foam free designs: Traditional floristry foam isn’t biodegradable, so we never use this in our designs. Use more seasonal flowers: Seasonal flowers provide incredible quality, freshness, scent and style making designs that reflect the season of your wedding. Re-use designs: We love to make designs work hard by moving them throughout the day from the wedding ceremony to the reception. Grown not flown: With incredible British flower growers we don’t need to use imported flowers. In the winter months it’s more challenging, so we use fair trade imported flowers wherever possible. Recycling flowers: If you can’t re-use your flowers after the wedding then gift them on to a charity for someone else to reuse and enjoy them.

Helen Emson | Willow & Bear www.willowandbearfloraldesign.com

NAILED IT!

I always choose a French manicure and want my nails to look a bit different on my wedding day. What styles will work? Sometimes nothing beats a classic and simple French, it’s chic, timeless and basically goes with any outfit, event or occasion. But if this is something you regularly have and feel that for your big day a little change is what you need then we have a few takes on the classic that might just be for you. We’d recommend incorporating the classic but with a little twist, changing up detailing, colours and finishes. Our favourites include the French tip made without a line and instead using white dots. A white nail with other nail designs incorporated – for those who really want to try something different. Or maybe try a French with a glitter? It’s a take on the classic but a little more fun and perfect for a winter wedding! Filiz Ozakinci | Studio Sister www.studiosister.co.uk