Fairytale weddings at your
finger tips
Real-life stories from real-life brides
Confetti Show shines in Liverpool DIY celebrity hair styles
Wedding blogger says everything can be homemade!
Summer issue 2011
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Create your own designer wedding without the designer price tag
Editor’s Letter It’s wedding season and the excitement has doubled now that the Royal wedding is nearly here! With union jack patterns everywhere right now it isn’t hard to Royal up your own wedding, or even your front room! Colours are bold this season, matching that of the flag, so bold up your place settings and cake colourings too.
BEST WEDDING TWEETS! @ProjectWedding 14 tips for an awesome wedding reception! @GetMarried.com Layers are tiering up the runways!
Our aim is to show you how homemade weddings can be just as gorgeous as those that cost thousands, and in most cases; better, because DIY means more special and more of your personailty shines through.
@LittleWedGuide How to Get Your Arms Picture-Perfect For the Big Day
DIY your wedding to the way you want it and this issue will get you on your way to being a DIY god or godess in just 40 pages.
@belles_bridal Preparing dresses for tomorrow’s Spring Sample Sale extravaganza - they’re looking hot to trot (racingrelated lingo in homage to Aintree)
Let us know if you use any of the tips in this season’s magazine by going to our website! Enjoy!
Angela Brooks, Editor. missangelabrooks@gmail.com
@MyBrideToBe The Royal Wedding: What Not To Wear!
@MarthaWeddings The models at Amsale paired pretty pony tails with red lips @RoyalWeddingUK Betty Crocker proposes four royal wedding cakes fit for Prince William and Kate Middleton @LondonBride Oh the things I could be doing if only there were a spare 40 hours in the week... Sighhhhh. Fairytale summer issue 3
Contents Fashion
It’s a nice day for a Royal wedding p.25
THE I DOS AND I DON’TS IN WEDDING
13 SHOES: Alternatives to skyscraper heels
33 RENT-A-DRESS: For one night only shine like a star in a celebrity’s redcarpet dress!
Liverpool Confetti Show p.36
DESIGN YOUR OWN WEDDING DRESS:
35 Brides tell how they are making their own dresses and why it makes the day extra special REAL-LIFE EVERYTHING CAN BE HOMEMADE:
7 Weddings have gone global thanks to the internet and a wedding blogger shares her DIY ideas
24 CELEBRITY STYLIST: How to get designer hair but without the designer price tag
37 LIVERPOOL CONFETTI SHOW: Pictures from The Confetti Show in Liverpool
Make your own wedding cake p.11
Flowers GET THE HOMEGROWN LOOK: REAL-LIFE
26 Have you thought about garden flowers for your
ON THE COVER “EVERYTHING CAN BE HOMEMADE” DIY wedding blogger tells all on how absolutely everything in your wedding can be homemade. CELEBRITY HAIR WITHOUT THE CELEBRITY PRICE TAG: Tara Smith gives celebrity style hair that you can re-create at home for the whole bridal party THE CONFETTI SHOW: Liverpool hosts a glamourous wedding show with celebrity guests.
wedding bouquet?
18 MATERIAL GIRL: Design your own material flowers TUTORIAL
Confectionary 10
DESIGNING YOUR OWN CAKE: Jessica and Craig’s story REAL-LIFE SPONGE ALTERNATIVE: Don’t like sponge or
15 fruitcake? There are plenty of alternatives for you to choose from
11 MAKE YOUR OWN CAKE: Create your own ‘cupcake’ wedding cake TUTORIAL
Fairytale summer issue 5
Features
Ditch those skyscrapers for flipflops! p.13
17 PLAN YOUR CIVIL PARTNERSHIP: Gino Meriano explains how civil partnerships can have the ‘wow factor’
28 SECRET WORLD OF THE WEDDING PLANNER: A Liverpool wedding planner shares her secrets and stories for what makes a perfect wedding day
39 DECORATE IT: Ideas for your wedding that look a
million dollors but definitely do not cost it! REAL-LIFE PERSONALISING YOUR WEDDING: Helen’s story
20 on how having some DIY features in your wedding make the day more personal REAL-LIFE
25 IT’S A NICE DAY FOR A ROYAL WEDDING: With William and Kate’s wedding coming up we cannot pass up the opportunity for a party 31
For the Groom! p.22
LAST MINUTE TIPS FOR THE BIG DAY: Pull out section for help the day before and during your wedding
For the Groom 21
PERFECT GROOM: Last minute tips for the groom on the wedding day DON’T LET LAST MINUTE NERVES RULE YOUR
22 WEDDING DAY: Pull-out section for the groom on all the little things that usually get forgotten
Wedding blogger p. 7
Every Month EDITOR’S LETTER: Message from the
3 Editor on what’s happening this month
BRIDEZILLA TEST: This month false
32 eyelashes get put through the test of our in-house bridezilla REAL-LIFE
Grow your own flowers p.26
6 Fairytale summer issue
Material girl p.19
Wedding blogger The author of lovemakingit.co.uk shares her wedding wisdom on making your day special and how absolutely everything can be homemade...
Secret Garden DIY themed wedding When it comes to DIY weddings then the blog lovemakingit.co.uk is the place to go. With the advancement in the internet, and the iphone apps and the androids, it is totally expected that weddings should go online too. Chloe Adlington, Author and Producer of lovemakingit.co.uk, believes that
“A special perfume can bring back memories” when it comes to weddings, everything can be DIY. “I hand on heart believe you can make everything. I’m not sure everybody else would want to make everything but it can be really cost effective to make things yourself and obviously it’s a lot more personal.”
Chloe, from Nottingham, has had her wedding blog for over a year and believes that weddings should have a personal touch. “I think that’s what brides are really after, to represent themselves and make their day unique. There is loads of inspiration out there, the possibilities of creativity are endless.” Weddings are an event in a couple’s life that sums up their relationship to their guests and it is hard to round up all the feeling they have for each other in just one day. “A lot of people get caught up in their plans for their wedding day and trying to make it the biggest most amazing party and are too concerned about things that can make it quite stressful. You have to remember it is also a marriage, it is just one day at the start of your marriage and I think a lot of brides should remember that and try to relax and enjoy themselves as it goes really fast.”
Fairytale summer issue 7
DIY Secret Garden themed wedding
Chloe explains that she believes enjoying your wedding is crucial as so many people get caught up in the planning and preparation that they do not get enough time to enjoy the process, or cannot remember it as it has gone so fast. “Do little things that will help you remember your day as it goes really quickly. Something different like having a special perfume that you have not used or worn before but that you really like. By wearing something like that on your wedding day, afterwards whenever you smell it, or whenever you wear it, it will bring back memories of the day.”
“I hand on heart believe you can make everything” When it comes to the DIY aspects of the wedding then Chloe thinks that the more the better. The use of arts and crafts can add personality to your wedding and bring both of your personalities together. “It is one day where you can pull it all together and it is ok to indulge yourself in all of that stuff.”
Where to start
Chloe’s advice to brides who have no idea where to start is to identify the theme or style that they want for their wedding and then once the big decisions are made the small ones will fit into place. She explains that it is usually the smaller decisions, after the venue and dress, which tend to stress brides out the most. Chloe creates inspiration boards for brides so 8 Fairytale summer issue
that once they know what they want, Chloe puts it altogether for them to see. This way they will have the theme and colour scheme at hand whenever they need it as well as helping them stay on top of all the other plans. Many people think that is hard to imagine a DIY wedding looking anywhere near as good as one that has a lot of money put it into, however Chloe is the opposite. “A handmade DIY wedding can look just as glamorous and stylish as if you have spent a lot of money on suppliers to give you it all. I honestly think it can look just as good.” Chloe now works full-time on her DIY blog and says that it gives her an outlet from the world. If you have never had any experience in homemade decorations or you don’t have any ideas then Chloe suggests starting with the table decorations. Wedding favours are known to be really expensive and the favours, place settings, centre pieces and that kind of thing can all add up in the end. “I’d say decorating your table is a good place to start. If you want the tables to look really different then there are lots of creativity chances out there. Try piling up old antique books from an old book shop and finding some antique china, from a charity shop, and putting that on top. This would look really pretty and cost almost nothing compared to that of a big bouquet of flowers.” She explained that you can do any theme you like and to think outside of the box. “Weddings are all about being unique and being personal to you so there are so many different themes out there, as long as it says a lot about
the couple then I think it is great. So, if you want to indulge in a fantasy or be Cinderella for the day then that shows your personality so that it’s great.”
Venue
Everyone knows the traditional places to get married but how about tipping the boat slightly and going for a different venue. Chloe explains that you can get married just about anywhere you like, even barns! “You can hire out farms with a barn and get married there which would be really nice with the barn decorated with fabric and fairy lights, it would look beautiful and really rustic.” She says you can get married just about anywhere and that she even knows people getting married in a tree house. “It overlooks this lake in Scotland and has mountains in the background and when you come down there are drinks waiting on the lawn. It’s absolutely gorgeous.” The idea of a mini festival, a ‘wedstival’, is where guests hire out wigwams or tents, not little ones pitched in a field, but big ones for the whole weekend near a house which people then go into for the breakfast. This is becoming really popular amongst money conscious brides as it enables them to have more guests than they may have been able to if they were in a hall or hired room. “It’s like a mini-festival for your wedding. Providing you can get a license, it is a nice cheap way for everyone to come down for the weekend. It can look really nice as well.”
Making it homemade Homemade weddings give the bride and groom that sense of extra pride on their wedding day; it isn’t just a day that they have made their vows, it is a day that they crafted together with their friends and family. Chloe suggests getting the girls around for your hen night, have a few glasses of wine and make the invitations or wedding favours together and have a bit of fun. She explained that weddings and weddings planning should be fun for you and the people involved. “It makes the whole process more relaxing, gets everyone together and is a nice opportunity to learn something new. So when you come to your wedding day you feel really proud that you have made certain aspects of it and that they represent you and the fun you had making them with your friends or partner.” Chloe suggests using having a homemade hen do is great fun and get the whole bridal party involved in the production side of things too. “You could get the girls around and the friends and family who want to get involved in the wedding but don’t know what to do, make some invites or favours, have a few glasses of wine and make the process feel a lot more relaxed and it gets everybody involved and makes it more
personal. So when it comes to your wedding day you feel really proud that you have made parts of it and that it represents you as well as making it all the more special as you have seen at the work that has gone into it and you’ve had the laughs along the way.” She explains that this is rather than the wedding favours be ‘token wedding favours’ they now become something that you sat with your best friends and made for your guests as a thank you. “It just makes everything more special I think.” Through Chloe’s blog she has come across hundreds of DIY ideas that make weddings more personal to the couple; including a cake made out of paper.
She made the paper cake from scratch out of ribbon, cake boxes and lights, however it took more than one go to get it right. “It took several attempts. That’s the thing with crafts, sometimes you have to re-make things but that’s the fun of it really. It’s the challenge and problem solving of getting it all to work.” Chloe explains that she started off only writing her blog for her mum but her audience has continued to grow since last summer. Wedding blogs are huge in the USA and it is catching on here in the UK and in Australia too. “The thing with a blog is you never really know who is reading it but the longer I do it the more in love with it I get really. I love being creative and love being able to make things and make them look different. A wedding is the perfect opportunity to bring together lots of different crafts and hobbies, it’s got food, decorations, interior design, fashion, and it pulls together all the little things I am interested in.” With so many themes and ideas that you could use for your wedding, the choice is endless. “There is so many opportunities out there depending on what you are looking for, whether you want to go unique, standard or classic and beautiful. You just have to find the style that suits you and your partner and then get making!”
The couple’s names on the wines bottles
If you are interested about an inspiration board made by Chloe, or anything else to do with DIY weddings, visit her blog at: www.lovemakingit.co.uk Fairytale summer issue 9
Jessica’s Story “If I can do it then anyone can do it” - Jessica explains how easy it is to design the cake of your wedding Weddings can be like anything you want them to be but there is one thing we at FairyTale are certain on; they should reflect you and your partner’s personality. That is exactly what Jessica Fisk, and her husband Craig, wanted for their wedding last summer. Jessica explained that “some people just don’t realise how easy it is to make your own sometimes” and said that it cost her half the price than the wedding cake quotes she was getting on the cake she wanted in the shops. Jessica said it was simple to make and even
Below: Craig and Jessica on their wedding day, Right: Their DIY cake
10FFairytale airytalesummer summerissue issue 10
waited until the night before to put all the bits of pieces together on her cake. “I used ediable glue to stick the chocolate hearts to the base and thin wire to create the floating hearts which created the illusion that the figures were racing on a track to the top of the cake. As my husband is a computer game finatic we decided to go for a Mario Kart twist on the cake as you can see and I used figures for the top that I already had.” Most brides want to make something for their day but don’t know where to start and are worried that if they do make it then it will go wrong. Jessica said that “making the cake this way also meant I wasn’t doing too much but that I was doing something. Its great to be able to say I made it and I can look back on the day and remember what I did and I get a sense of pride.”
Make your own cake Why have one wedding cake when you could have as many little cakes as you like that double up as favours? Angela Brooks shows how to make your own wedding day cupcakes that could be used as favours, mid-ceremony treats or even as the main wedding cake. Cake has always been one of the most important things at a wedding; how big, what colour, what flavour... but what about having a mini cake for every guest? The cupcake is a simple to make, elegant option for even the most money concious bride. There
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are things you can do with cupcakes that cannot be done with a big wedding cake; for one you don’t have to worry people having too much cake and not having any left over. If you wanted to be able to cut your cake then you could make a giant version of the mini’s that you could use at the top of the stand and position the minis around it. Cupcakes can also double up as the dessert at the reception which would also save a lot of money when it comes to the food, as this is often the most expensive part of a wedding. When making the cake it is important to make sure the ingredients are all weighed out properly as nobody likes a cake with a liquid egg centre! To start, measure out the sugar, butter and flour to the same weight and add 2 eggs. In this reciepe each of the ingredients weigh 1.2lb each and this should make approximately twenty-five average size cupcakes.
3. Fairytale summer issue 11
This recipe is based on 25 cakes. Next, add all these ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and beat together until there are no lumps. If you want more than 25 cakes then change the weight of the ingredients to match the amount of cakes you prefer. Beat two eggs together in a seperate bowl until they have mixed together, then add to the mixture.
Once the eggs have been beaten into the mixture, the flour is next. This needs to be sieved into a seperate bowl so that there are no lumps in your sponge!
Making the icing
4.
Add the flour quarter at a time and mix in before adding the next quarter until it is all in the bowl.
5.
Mix thoroughly so that there are no lumps and until the mixture turns a light yellow/almost white and has a fluffy texture. Add colours or flavourings now if you want to use them in the sponge.
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Using a small and a large spoon, add the mixture to the cases that are in baking trays. The case colour does matter so make sure this fits the colour that you want the icing on the cakes to be!
Add to a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees (Fan oven 180) and do not open the oven until after twenty minutes otherwise the cakes will drop in the middle. Make a slight cut in one of the cakes after twenty minutes is up to see whether the middle of the cake is sticky and if so leave for another five minutes to fully cook through. Once the cakes are cooked, and cooled, add the icing. Mix the icing in a clean bowl by adding half butter and half icing sugar. The amount of each depends on how many cakes you want and how much icing you want to use. Then add any colouring/flavouring you want, be creative! Then add to a piping bag (ÂŁ1 from all good supermarkets) and follow the picture steps to the right! Enjoy!
12 Fairytale summer issue
Ditch the skyscraper heels...
...and hit the flipflops! The ceremony is over, everyone is heading to the reception and your feet are killing... then we have the solution: hit the flats!
F&F at Tesco £8 Spring Summer 2011
Monsoon £55
Jane Norman £22 Ruffle Front Pumps
Simply Bee, Spring Summer 2011
£6 George ASDA
River Iisland £29.99
If you can’t bare to say goodbye to your killer heels, here are some budget options: Brantano, Emilio Luca, £26.00
£19.99 Newlook
Merlot by Else at Rainbow club £59.99
Brantano £28.00
Brantano £26.00
F&F at Tesco £12
Fairytale summer issue 13
14 Fairytale summer issue
Alternative wedding cakes Don’t like cake? Can’t have cake? Won’t have cake? ... Then don’t worry! There are other choices out there for you! If you don’t want a traditional wedding cake then there are a number of choices out there for you! From paper cakes, profiteroles towers, to cheesecakes to Jelly, there are a large number of different ingredients to make up your perfect wedding cake.
Bompas and Parr create wedding ‘cakes’ out of jelly and think that “brides keen to avoid stodgy wedding cake can order a huge wobbly tower of jelly”. Popular flavours include champagne jelly set with strawberries, pear and raspberry jelly and rhubarb jelly. Brides can also specify the shape of the moulds. In the past Bompas & Parr have made moulds of castles, St Paul’s Cathedral and hearts as well as adding lighting to the jellies. Harry Parr, partner of Bompas & Parr LLP, explained that “wedding jellies are lighter and more refreshing than cakes. They are kinder to the stomach after a heavy meal so make it less likely for guest to fall asleep during the speeches!” Chloe Adlington, who writes the wedding blog; lovemakingit.co.uk, made a paper cake and told Fairytale that if a bride or groom couldn’t eat cake, or just did not want one, then a paper cake is a glamourous and cheap alternative. “It is wrapped in satin ribbon and tiny twinkley lights with tissue paper poppies.” Cheesecake is also an option for those who love it. They can be decorated in all different shapes and forms, and can also have tiers, like in a traditional cake, which can be cut in the same way. The English Cheesecake Company creates tiered cheesecakes, including a strawberry shortcake flavoured cheesecake, as well as chocolate fudge cakes for those brides who prefer something other than the traditional flavours. They explained that “they make a great alternative to the traditional fruit cake and can also double as the dessert, saving you money.”
Jelly Cake
Bompas and Parr
Paper Cake
Chloe Adlington
Fairytale summer issue 15
Same-sex cake toppers with matching dogs
Planning your civil partnership From vows to cake toppers, to drag queens and cheesy music, civil partnerships can have no rules or limits Gino Meriano, creator of the Gay Wedding Show and the Designer Civil Partnership show now in its eight year, is one half of one of the first couples to have a civil partnership in this country. He said: “We were honoured. We were asked by Brighton register office. To be asked was pretty phenomenal and to experience that and to be part of history is quite something.” Gino explained that civil partnerships are all about uniqueness and that there are no rules in the ceremony. He says that civil partnerships allow couples to have the ‘wow factor’ on their big day because they are not constricted to certain rules like they would be in marriages. “There are no rules that state what you can and can’t do. It’s always about what is the best way of fitting to the couple. Rather than conformity, you don’t have any.” He told Fairytale that he knew of a couple who had the exchanging of the rings in a field instead, and that couples don’t need to stick the basic rules so can even have multiple aisles if they want. “One couple had a fifteen minute mini ceremony in the evening for their evening guests, as well as the ceremony in the day. There are no rules. The ceremony is not legal, only the signing is, which means the ceremony can be held anywhere you like, not just in a licensed room.” Gino explains that not only same sex couples have civil partnerships and it is becoming a more popular option for opposite sex couples too. “The beauty behind it is that you start to find couples trying to come up with things that are very different but still keep the element of tradition, but making it unique.” The Gay wedding show and the Designer Civil Partnership show is held in October this year all over the country. “There are no wedding catwalks on what to wear, because we don’t want to tell people what to wear. We have a drag queen that hosts the day and have funky cheesy music instead of wedding music.” Gino explains that the day involves mini
ceremonies to show people what they are like as well as having a serious side with legal teams on hand to answer any questions people may have. “I always consider opposite sex wedding shows to be kind of stale, I like people to have fun and we have everything from tribute acts to four puffs and a piano. It’s kind of shocking so people do want to come along. Everything is done with dignity for the couples but it is also a bit of fun. You need fun, it’s supposed to be a fun time.” Gino said that he has a number of opposite sex couples who come to the shows as well as they like the idea of having the wow factor in their partnership and want something different.
“The show has everything from tribute acts to four poofs and a piano” Gino and his partner, Mike, have written a book which talks about their own experiences, and covers topics from the legal aspect of civil partnerships, to drag queens as toast masters to cake toppers. “Couples want a bit of wow factor, something a bit different and why wouldn’t they? It also helps the friends and family of the couple and tells them what to expect; is it going to be all gay with half naked men everywhere, or is it going to be stereotypical or dignified. There are concerns and worries so we are there for people to ask and we can help. Everything we do is for same sex couples, their families and friends” Gino is also the creator of Pink Weddings and Pink approved wedding company and is now launching a TV Channel alongside the book. He explains that people do not often know the difference between a marriage and a civil partnership and that that is because there is not much difference. “The only difference is religion and having the ceremony in a church and the fact that it is called a marriage.” Fairytale summer issue 17
Make your own material flowers Lowri Roberts-Drakley is an embroidery
and mix media textile artist, working in fashion. She specialises in cornely, Irish, multihead, machine, beading and hand embroidey. She explains how personal and cost effective making your own material flowers can be. They can be used for bouquets, hair pieces, table decorations...
Add to any part of your wedding for beautiful flowers that last as long as your memories.
Materials list: Embroidery needles Fabric (cotton or silk organza, cut into petal shapes) Scissors Thread What you need...
Lowri explains that before starting to make your flowers there are a few things you need to take into account. Firsly, the petal angle: Make a small overlapping fold at the bottom part of the petal; depending on how deep the overlap is, as this will result in how dramatic and angle the petal will have. Example: If you want your petal to have a low, soft angle then make the overlapping fold at the bottom of the petal shallow, or deep if you want a high petal.
Fairytale summer issue 18
Step 1:
Sewing on the first petal: The inner ring of the petal needs to be sturdy. The structure of the flower depends on these stitches. Don’t worry about seeing the stitches; these will be covered up later.
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Step 2:
Sew on second petal making sure to overlap neighbouring petals.
Step 3:
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Sew on the third petal, again making sure each petal overlaps the previous petal. By the fifth petal, the first row of petals should be approaching a full circle, depending on the flowers size. Try not to make the centre too small because it can get hard to work when adding the outer petals.
Step 4:
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After the flowers centre is firmly attached, begin adding petals to the outside. Place the new petal on the backside of the flower where the previous rows overlap. By keeping spiral-wise you ensure the flower stays round. Add extra petals wherever you feel they are needed.
Step 5:
To add dimension and contrast, you could use two different fabrics in the same petal. Don’t worry about any displacement, remember Mother Nature isn’t perfect.
4 Step 6:
For the centre of the flower (to cover up the stitches), take two fabric circles. Fold them in half, then half again. Then sew the final fold together, ensuring you catch each fabric circle. The stitches will end up on the underside so they don’t have to be tidy.
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Place in centre of flower and stitch down.
Then after many evenings spent folding, overlapping and stitching, you’ll end up with an array of beautiful fabric flowers.
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Fairytale summer issue 19
Helen’s Story “Our wedding has been two years in the making and dreamed of for much longer. From the days where I used to wonder around my parents living room with the curtain netting on my head, I knew that I wanted a big white wedding but naturally this comes at a cost. From the start I booked the things I really wanted in order to secure them, but on some aspects I knew that I would have to put some effort in to help bring down the costs. Some of my favourite costs savings ideas are creating my own invitations, designing my own website and highstreet high healed shoes.” - Helen
Helen and Richard
Helen Houghten and Richard Jones are using a number of DIY aspects in preparation for their wedding in June. Helen shares all the details of what she has been doing to prepare for her wedding and the problems that she came across in finding the perfect shoes... We made a website...
Problem with high-street shoes...
As we have people coming from across the UK, I wanted to give guests as much information as possible to help them planning their trip so I created a website using gettingmarried.co.uk which enables you to build a website for free. This was perfect because it was simple to use, looked great and gave the facility to password protect your site (which I wanted). There are so many aspects to it and you don’t have to use them if you don’t want to, just pause the web pages as when you like. On our website I have include the homepage, the ceremony venue and the reception venue (with maps and information), a wedding party profile display pictures of the wedding party (this is particularly useful for people who haven’t met as yet!), local accommodation and attractions in the area for those who might want to stay longer.
Trying to find shoes and having size 9 feet does cause problems at the best of time but trying to find size 9 wedding shoes (that are comfortable) is near impossible.
20 Fairytale summer issue
I had spotted in a few of the wedding magazines that people had been wearing coloured shoes to match their theme, I loved this idea and decided to use it. This made my life a lot easier because I knew that a few of the high street shoes were selling my size. After much research and footwork, I bought some lovely purple shoes from a shop in town for a fraction of the cost of wedding shoes.
Last minute pull-out tips for the big day! For the groom... NAILS: Pedicures are not just for women and as the rings are very important on the day it is likely your hands will be photographed. Also when exchanging rings your bride will see your hands and it wont look good if your hands and nails are dirty and not cut or clipped properly.
SHAVING: If you are shaving on the day of your wedding then use a shaving foam to avoid getting a shaving rash. This would not be a good look and it would last forever in your pictures.
STAY HYDRATED: Make sure that you have a bottle of water or squash on you at all time, or within reaching distance, so that you can stay hydrated throughout the day. Lack of water could cause your throat to dry up or you could become dehydrated, which is not something you want to be worrying about.
MINTY FRESHNESS: Bad breathe is never good, for either the bride or groom, so make sure that when you say “I do” it is with minty fresh breathe. You can buy mint sprays, or use the classic mint or chewing gum to freshen up before going into the ceremony. However get rid of the mint or chewing gum before saying “I do” to avoid it dropping out of your mouth and getting stuck on someone’s clothes, or worse, choking or spluttering on it whilst saying your vows.
SOCKS: This may sound obvious but think about your socks. They may be hidden underneath your trousers but when you sit down at the reception or at the ceremony they will become visible! So Homer Simpson socks may not be the way you are going... unless it is and then in that case think about what you want your socks to say! Think of the guy who wrote “Help me!” on the bottom of his shoes so when he kneeled at the alter all the guests could read them. Just an idea...
SURPRISE: Surprise your bride on your first dance together by telling her (and having a month before) dancing lessons. Doing something that will make her day unforgettable and is totally unexpected will make her feel special and knowing that you have thought about the day - without help or a nudge - will show her how much you care. Have you seen the f.r.i.e.n.d.s episode where Chandler and Monica get married? Like that, but without the slippery shoes. Fairytale summer issue 21
For the Groom... TOP TIPS 1. Buy your shoes, and your best man’s shoes, at least a month before your big day so you can wear them in. 2. If you are intending to dance at your wedding make sure you practise in your shoes so they are not too slippy on the dance floor.
When it comes to ‘what to wear’ on your wedding day you cannot go wrong, price wise, when hiring a suit. If you want a really smart suit but cannot afford the price tag then hiring if the way forward. If your budget isn’t too low then you could even hire out a suit that your favourite celebrity wore to a show or premier! Or if you have a low budget then Moss Bros Hire does some really smart and classy suits that not only look the part but would be 5x the amount if you bought them instead of hiring them and no-one would ever know!
3. The night before the wedding hang your shirt up so that when you go to wear it, and take your jacket off, there are no iron or folding marks on it. 4. Don’t have your stag night the night (or week if possible) before the wedding, you want to look fresh for the big day! 5. Go to a proper tailor to get your suit fitted. Trousers that are too long or short do not look good and if your suit is too fitted then it may become uncomfy throughout the day.
Moss Bros Hire, Lingfield Morning Suit, Price to hire from £49
Moss Bros Hire
6. Don’t be afraid of colour, compliment your partner and match their outfit. 7. Don’t drink lots in the morning (or night before) your wedding day. One drink is fine but you don’t want to turn up smelling like a pub! 22 Fairytale summer issue
Moss Bros Hire
Moss Bros Hire, Bournville Suit, Hire from £49,
Groompower.com Editor, Ben Parker, talks to Fairytale and goes through some of the important things to remember on the day... What does the Groom’s speech usually have in it? It traditionally says thank you to the people who have helped with the wedding, some nice things about his new wife and why he is marrying her, and by tradition toasts the bridesmaids at the end.
Also it’s common for the groom to say a few words about his own parents, and the same for his new in laws and how they have welcomed him into their family and anything else that he sees important to say.
Is the Groom’s speech important?
It’s one of the three traditional speeches at the wedding and it’s important because the groom speaks on behalf of the couple to say thank you and express their happiness.
What is the most important thing for the groom to do on the actual wedding day?
He needs to stay calm and do everything he can to make the day special for his partner. He also needs to accept that some things are bound to go wrong and it shouldn’t spoil the day.
What can the groom do in advance to make sure the day is perfect for him and his future partner?
Plan meticulously so that the day goes as smoothly as possible and the couple can enjoy it rather than worry.
What should the best man say in his speech?
The origin of the speech is that someone who knows the groom well introduces him to the bride’s family. So you should highlight the groom’s qualities. These days you are also expected to crack a few jokes, particularly at the groom’s expense, but this should be lighthearted, not mean!
What are the three most important things to go into the groom’s speech? 1. Thank you to everyone who helped 2. I love my wife 3. Toast the bridesmaids
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Order of the speeches Firstly... The father of the bride Secondly... The groom’s speech Finally... The best man’s speech It is up to the speaker how long they want to talk for but the average father of the bride speech would be 8 minutes, same for the groom, with the best man a bit longer, maybe 10 - 15 minutes. However this varies a lot and is totally up to each speaker how long they want to speak for.
“It is uncommon, but not unheard of, for the bride to speak instead of (or along side) the tradtional speech givers!” Fairytale summer issue 23
Tara Smith explains how to get celebrity hair on a budget
Celebrity stylish Tara Smith tells all on how to get show stopping hair styles without the celebrity price tag
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It is best to use your regular hairdresser, who knows your style, rather than choosing someone new for the big day. Make sure you have a consultation 2-3 months before the big day. It is a good idea to take cuttings from magazines of hairstyles you like to help you explain the style you want, plus a photo of your dress. Don’t put all the pressure on yourself, take your mum, sister or friend to help you choose!
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Choose your head-gear wisely, whether it’s a tiara, headdress, veil, hat, flowers or none of the above. Go for something you feel comfortable with and remember to ensure you won’t be taller than the groom!
If you are going to have any chemical treatments such as perms, colours or Keratin treatments, get them done a couple of weeks before the big day to give them chance to settle down or put things right if you aren’t happy by avoiding any last minute stresses.
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Don’t forget to book appointments for the rest of the bridal party such as bridesmaids and your mum. Ask your hairdresser which products will be best for your hair when you’re on your honeymoon (think of the sea and chlorine) This way you can stock up in advance and ensure you look gorgeous on every holiday snap. Take into consideration the shape of the neckline on your dress when deciding your hairstyle.
For fine hair it is best to avoid a heavy headdress to ensure your hair doesn’t go flat.
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If you opt for an ‘up-do’ then wash your hair the day before so it is easier to handle. Most importantly, make sure you have a practice run with your hairdresser before the wedding. Then if you are having a headdress, tiara, flowers etc., your hairdresser can have a practise and any problems won’t suddenly spring up on the day.
It’s a nice day for a Royal wedding...
With the most talked about wedding of the century just around the corner, everyone is pitching in to make it a right Royal occasion... A courtesy service to get couples to the church on time has been launched by the AA. The idea set up by the car company asks for couples who are getting married, or entering into a civil partnership, on the same day as the Royal couple, to register with them so that if they break down on the way to the ceremony then the AA will get them to the church on time. The AA will register the couple’s details, along with the planned vehicle and time that they need to be at the venue, on a separate list to that normally used so that if they do break down then they will receive urgent attention. Andrew Strong, CEO, AA Services, explained that you do not have to be a member of the AA to sign the register and that the guarantee includes all weddings cars with exception of a horse and carriage and fire engine. He said: “We wanted to do something to celebrate the Royal wedding and felt it should be something that could help other couples. Whether you’re having a traditional church wedding like William and Kate or making your vows in a remote field, you want to make sure you arrive on time.” Many couples around the UK share the same date as Kate and William, who are getting married this month, and the last thing that they want to be worrying about is whether their ride to the ceremony will break down. Andrew Strong said that if you break down on the way to your venue then they will do everything in their power to get you there on time. All over the United Kingdom people have gone ‘Royal wedding’ crazy with memorabilia and setting up street parties in their local areas to watch the wedding on a big screen or just to toast the happy couple. These street parties are popping up all over the UK, with an estimated two million people being involved, which has caused legislation to be changed for that one day with the withdrawal of ‘central guidance’ on partying in the street.
Leader of Westminster Council, Councillor Colin Barrow, explained that the Royal wedding is one of the most important events in this country’s history and that he wants as many people to join in as possible. He said in a statement that “we expect thousands of people will want
“All you need is a bit of bunting, some food, drink and lots of community spirit.” to come together in Westminster and for our residents and local communities to follow the great British tradition of holding a street party. We are working with the Metropolitan Police, Transport for London, Royal Parks and other agencies to assist the happy couple’s wishes for the celebration, to ensure that their day is memorable for everyone.” Street parties don’t have to be expensive and can be set up without much fuss at all. Get everyone on your street to bring one ingredient (Lemonade, cake, pizza, etc) and you have a party! It’s a great excuse to get dressed up for the day, invite your neighbours around and spend the day watching the wedding together. All you need a bit of bunting, some food and drink and a lot of community spirit.
Get the
home-grown
look
Being a DIY bride can also mean making your own flowers arrangements. This may sound like a scary prospect as so many people think that it is impossible to create your own flower arrangements or bouquets, but it isn’t! Charlie Burton, from the Natural Wedding Company, explains that being a bride on a small budget pays to be creative and think outside of the box when it comes to planning the flowers for your own personalised wedding. Charlie is getting married in May this year and hopes to have her own DIY flowers. “I love vintage-style, natural, eco-friendly and homemade weddings and these are elements i’m trying to incorporate into my own wedding day.” Like other aspects of homemade weddings, having homemade flower arrangements can be a fun day out for all of your bridal party. Charlie explained that she is ordering lots of cut flowers for her big day and that these are a great, and cheap, way of having gorgeous flowers at your wedding. Your wedding should be all about you and having fun in the run up to it aswell as on the big day, so creating your own flower decorations can be fun activity for the whole bridal party.
(top to bottom) Garden and
Plant Company buttonholes
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“Cut flowers save money as you are not paying the florist to arrange them” “I will receive cut flowers that my family and I can arrange ourselves. Not only is this a way to save money (as you are not paying a florist to arrange them for you), but I am looking forward to spending time with my mum and sister arranging the flowers and decorating the house, garden and church with them.” Homegrown flowers also give the wedding a more personalised feel with more and more brides adopting this theme. Charlie explained that “it can often mean you will need to put more time into creating the look you
want, collecting vintage pieces, arranging lowers yourself, foraging in the hedgerows, but if you can see the enjoyment of doing them you can save money and create beautiful wedding flowers.” JW Blooms says that cut flowers are becoming very popular and allow the brides to arrange the flowers in anyway that they like.
“You don’t need a lot of skill to make them look beautiful” “The great thing about cottage-garden flowers is that you don’t need a lot of skill to make them look beautiful. Get your grower to advise you on how to condition them, then just place in jam jars, old jugs or junk-shop finds for a relaxed shabby-chic vibe.” Green and Georgeous flowers company work on bucket flowers and said that recently they have been really popular with brides who want to me more involved with their wedding. Their ‘Bouquets and Buckets’ service can be used as centre pieces, button holes or as decorations. “Collect jam jars or vases from car boot sales and try to limit the palette or style of the vases, so they harmonise, the flowers can mix it up to give an eclectic feel.” JW Blooms say not to worry about mix and matching your colours as that is part of the charm. “Don’t worry about a colour scheme. Most gardens aren’t colour-zoned, yet they still manage to look gorgeous. Your English-grown flowers will look lovely no matter what the colour mix.” Most brides feel that flowers are one of the most important things about their weddings and they want their flowers to represent them. The Garden and Plant Company have felt a huge movement towards DIY flower weddings. “Our bridal couples love the idea that the flowers have been nurtured from tiny seed to glorious vibrant blooms, perhaps they liken it to their own relationship.” An ediable twist to your bouquets could also add something extra to your wedding. “The very ‘green’ brides plan their weddings around when their favourite flower is in season, which will also mean they are likely to be cheaper. Pots of pretty daisies, lavender and herbs are proving popular and make lovely presents for guests to take home and plant. We are using alpine strawberries this summer in terracotta pots or tin cans for something edible!” Blossom flowers (www.blossomflowers.co.uk) is of the option that if it is growing then you can use it in your bouquets, tables and button holes. “You can cut anything that grows; clematis, flowering lavender, honeysuckle, hellebores, the list is endless.” Whatever budget you have and whatever theme you would like, there are flowers out there for you. It may take a bit longer than getting someone else to do it, but you have a more personalised wedding that you created.
(top to bottom) JW
Blooms, Bareblooms flower company, and Blossom flower company
Fairytale summer issue 38 Fairytale summer issue 27
The secret world of the Liverpool Wedding Planner Keira silk satin bridal shoes by Rainbow Club
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Red wine-soaked dresses and smashed cakes, the work of a Liverpool wedding planner is never ending. When it comes to wedding planning Mally Best has seen it all but is never phased. She tells Fairytale how she calms the bride down, sorts out the wedding venue and all she needs to do it is a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit when things get a bit tough. Mally explains that even the very low budget weddings in Liverpool are full of glitz and glam and the brides go all out on their special day. She said that the average Merseyside wedding costs around £20,000 and that the Liverpool girls love to get dressed up, but not everybody needs to spend this to have a glamorous wedding.
“I can’t tell you what I do when I fix things otherwise no-one would ever hire me” Mally Best thinks that Liverpool weddings, low or high budget, are without doubt the most glamorous in the country. “The Mersey girls just have that flair. We like to get glamed up. Whether we bought it from a designer shop or high street, they just have that natural flair to make everything look glam.” When it comes to the actual wedding day, Mally prouds herself on being calm and composed when things go wrong but won’t give away any of her secrets to solving problems. “One time the wedding cake fell off the table and smashed into smithereens. I had to think of something quick, I didn’t tell the bride because it would have just worried her, I didn’t want anything to spoil her day. I can’t tell you how or what I did to get the new cake because then everyone will do it and then no-one will hire me.” Mally, 37, has worked in the industry for as long as she can remember and prides herself on being able to get her brides deals that no-one else can. “Because i’ve always worked in the business I know where the suppliers are coming from and I know when they are being a bit too greedy. I once got a venue to take the wedding breakfast price down from £13,000 to £8,000, it’s all about negotiating.” One bride that she was working with didn’t like champagne, but loved red wine so in the morning at her house instead of a champagne toast her mum gave her a glass of Merlot. “As she gave it to her, she was that nervous, as well as having her dress stitched up at the back, the wine split and went down the front of her white dress. I just took the dress, told them to carry on with make-up and I got it sorted.” She explains that her techniques are not conventional but always work. Once a groom had last minute nerves just before saying his
vows and Mally used reverse psychology to make him realise what he really wanted. “I just said ok then let’s go if you don’t want to get married then we should leave.” This panicked him and made him realise Mally Best, he couldn’t leave her, but then at the wedding Wedding Planner reception she put a bowl of mussles over his head because it dawned on her what he was about to do.” Mally said that nothing is too difficult to fix and that if something goes wrong then she just fixes it with no questions asked. “I love being with people and I love seeing them really happy and having a giggle when we get a bit stressed out. I just try to to keep everyone relaxed so they aren’t nervous.” When it comes to wedding favours Mally believes that the amount of money people charge for favours is extortion. She explained that little homemade gifts can look ultra glamourous and don’t cost a fortune to make. “You could give the men a lottery ticket and they would be happy with just that, you don’t have to make it fancy or anything. For the ladies you can get multipacks of diamonte studs from most stores and take a pair out and put them in a small box. You can get beautiful little boxes for like 50p and cover it with little stick on crystals. The guests know the studs aren’t real but it doesn’t matter as it is all about the glam!” Mally explained that the majority of couples do spend a lot of money on their wedding because “it’s a once in a lifetime party that they are going to have, you don’t expect to get married two, three or four times, you only want to be married the once.” However you can have a wedding just as nice, if not better, without spending a large amount of money. Mally explains that Liverpool is a brilliant place to have a wedding and that there are so many fantastic places if you are on a budget. “The city has done so much work to their historical buildings. There are beautiful buildings that you can use on any budget. For a high budget one of the Cathedrals or St Georges Hall would be fantastic, or a low budget there is a beautiful venue at Hope Street Hotel, where on the top floor there is a function room that would hold 50-70 people and gives views of the whole city. It’s plush but not expensive.” Mally follows the bride and groom from the hen and stag nights to the end of the wedding day making sure everything runs smoothly for them with a military style schedule to follow. “It is one or two minutes flexible either side but that’s it, otherwise nothing would get done.” Fairytale summer issue 29
Last minute pull-out tips for the big day! For the bride... STAY HYDRATED: Make sure that you have a bottle of water or squash on you at all time, or within reaching distance, so that you can stay hydrated throughout the day. Lack of water could cause your throat to dry up or to become dehydrated, which is not something you want to be worrying about.
NAIL FILE AND POLISH: Take a nail file with you in a small makeup bag just in case one of your nails breaks or chips which could pull your dress or veil. Also take a nail polish to match the colour you have on your nails so that if your nail polish chips then you can top it up quickly and then it would only be noticeable close up. Also your groom may need to borrow the file if the same happens to him!
TAKE A STRAW: Take a couple of straws for you and your bridesmaids so that when you are having your reception dinner you can drink as much as you like (within reason) without messing up your lipstick or lipgloss! If you don’t want to take a straw then you could take a spare lipstick or gloss with you so you can top it up if you need to.
TAKE ALTERNATIVE SHOES: Make sure you take spare flat shoes with you so that once you leave the ceremony and go to the reception, and you want to dance, then you can. Also spare flats would be handy because new shoes may rub and you don’t want big red marks on your feet for your honeymoon flipflops! Also heels make your legs look longer so if you want to look taller and slimmer then wear them for the pictures. Also this would work even better if you have a dress that shows off your legs however if you do wear heels then make sure the dress length doesn’t look different in the high heels otherwise it could ruin the pictures if your dress looks too short!
DRY SHAMPOO: Take a bottle of dry shampoo with you just in case one of the bridesmaids needs it or your hair starts to look shiny. Hairspray is also handy to take with you if you have curls put it as they may drop throughout the day and the hairspray will keep them in place for longer. Fairytale summer issue 31
Bridezilla test -false eyelashesWhy spend loads testing eyelashes before the big day when you could let Bridezilla test them instead! 7/10
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These were great, I have found that the thinner the line holding the eyelashes the easier they are to put on. They were slightly too long for my eyes so had to snip the sides but they stayed on all day and looked really natural. You could probaly wear these twice as they are quite strong.
Eylure Natualites
These eyelashes were not ‘daytime’ eyelashes as they have sparkles all over them. They were slightly hard to put on but with a good eyelash glue they would be great for the wedding after party.
8/10
I didn’t expect these to be that good but they were really comfy! They also looked really natural and lasted all day. If you are looking for a natural look then these are perfect. After one wear these would have to be binned but at this price that isn’t too bad.
Primark “Very Fluttering” Eyelashes, £1.99
10/10
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These were good as they stayed on all day. They looked natural but you could tell they were fake up close as I couldn’t get them to fit my eye properly. They looked good in pictures but not good if you have never used eyelashes before as they were tricky to put on.
Allura Falshe Eye Lashes, Poundworld, £1.00
Dimples Eyelashes, £2.99
These eyelashes were handy because if you mess up then you get a spare pair just in case! They were quite flimsy when putting them on but they lasted all day and were quite comfy! Definitely the best I have tried and the best value too.
One night affair... Dresses from the red carpet to the church aisle; renting designers gowns is on trend as brides have a one night affair with red carpet designer dresses. Hollywood has opened its doors to brides all over the world and is renting out its celebrity dresses for your wedding day. One Night Affair is a USA based dress rental company that hires out designer dresses, often worn by celebrities on the redcarpet, to anyone that wants to wear one. The company has a number of designer wedding dresses available that cost thousands to buy but can be rented for a fraction of the cost and no-one would ever know that you did not buy it. We talk to the owner of the company and the lady that makes this all happen; Sharon Gilchrist. So, how does designer dress rental work? You can book your gown up to a year in advance by putting 50% down to hold it for a specific date. You will have it from the Thursday or Friday before the event and you return it on the Tuesday following. How many dresses do you rent out at the moment? Thousands! We just did over 500 dresses for the Academy Awards, as well as the after parties all over town (Elton Johns, Vanity Fair, etc).
What is the best thing about renting a dress in comparison to buying it? You’ll never wear a fancy dress again, especially once you have been photographed in it. After the Academy Awards, nobody wants to wear that gown again after everyone saw them in it. Same goes for Proms and of course weddings! Which dresses are in fashion at the moment? Right now everyone is calling for our Versaces, we have Jennifer Hussons Red Versace that she wore at the Oscars and our phones have gone wild this week. Every season they change. For wedding gowns, our most popular is Vera Wang, Zuhair Murad and Ines Si Santo. Do you have any celebrity customers? All the time, this is a very big part of our business. We have been in business for over 25 years and work very close with the studios as well as all of the award ceremonies. What happens if something goes wrong with the dress on the day? The customer leaves a security deposit with us when they take the dress out of the store that covers any problems.
Wow so it must be very exciting? Yes very exciting! We were there at the last Academy Awards!
Has anything ever happened? Honestly, we have very few, most woman getting dressed up or getting married are very careful and aren’t getting crazy and wild! Sometimes we might have someone put their heel through the hem of the dress and our seamstresses can easily repair it.
Which designer dresses do you stock? We stock all different high end designers that all cost in the thousands to purchase. We also design many of our custom designs, with designers in Italy and France.
Many brides only wear their dress once and it ends up spending the rest of it’s life in the top shelf of the wardrobe, but by renting a dress it can last forever if the pictures and wont gather dust or take up space in your room.
What are the price ranges of the dresses? Prices for rentals are from $65.00 and $1600.00 (big range) they retail between $300.00 and $12,000.00.
Any questions or enquiries please contact: info@onenightaffair.com
Vera Wang Amelia dress, and Atelier Versace Dress in cream, both for rent
Making your dream wedding dress When it comes to making your own wedding dress most brides would rather pay the price, but two women show you how easy it is to create your dream dress...
Jenni’s dress... Jenni has decided to have her mum make her wedding dress. They found a simple dress in a charity shop and they are planning on altering it and adding to it to create Jenni’s wedding dress. She explained that the main bodice will be a corset with a flower sequin pattern on it. Lower down will be made of silk and will have purple ribbons. Jenni’s reason for making her own
wedding dress is so that she can pass it on to her daughter in the future. She loves the idea that no-one else will have a dress the same as hers and cannot wait to see the final product. “I feel like it will make me feel really special on the day and this will mean more because it is completely unique. I love the idea that there will be no other dress like mine.”
Hannah’s dress... “I have decided to make my own dress, mainly due to the price of dresses and also to ensure it is personal to myself.” Hannah wants a dress that will show off her shoes and cannot find one that she likes. Matching the bridesmaid is also a priority for her. “I think this will add to the detail and effort of the wedding being our own personalised day. It will benefit the bridesmaids to have dresses designed and made by myself as we can all discuss together to make sure everyone is comfortable with the shapes, styles and colour of the dresses, it is just as it is important for the bridesmaids to feel comfortable!” Hannah plans to spend days out with her family and friends choosing fabric and making it a memory she can remember forever. “I think making your own dress really personalises your wedding, a couple of days out spent choosing material, colours and accessories sounds like a great day out!
Although I know it will be a lot of effort and work I think it will be worth it.” After looking around shops for dresses, Hannah could not find a dress that fitted the idea she had in mind so decided to make her own dress. She explained that although the material is not cheap, it is ‘a million times cheaper’ than buying a dress to the exact design that you want. She says “If you think you can’t sew, you’re wrong! Anyone can cut out a pattern and sew, as long as you follow the guidelines on the pattern or there are plenty of guidelines on the internet, try google.” However she warns that it would be a good idea to practise on a scrap piece of material before you sew your expensive material and to remember to plan in advance as it will take time! “It will save a fortune and personalise your day.”
Fairytale summer issue 35
Liverpool
The catwalk was filled with gorgeous princess dresses
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Confetti Show The city lived up to its glamorous name as this month’s confetti show is filled with glitter and stars This month’s wedding show has descended on Liverpool which upholds it’s glamourous name with local dresses on display. The day consisted of two floors of stalls and shops that you could browse and book at your leisure for you own wedding. Accompanied by a glass of Lambrini (the offical sponsor of the Confetti Show) we looked around and enjoyed tasting the range of cakes! The catwalk was also great for insiration if you are hoping to make
you own dress as it gave loads of examples which you could work from. The catwalk was kicked off by a couple of wedding singers, then a ballet dancer on point and Olivia Archibald from Britain’s Got Talent sang a number of wedding songs to get everyone in the mood. The catwalk was a display of colour and frills as dresses from all the new collections were brought out. A number of businesses took part in the show and allowed brides to try products and ask as many questions as they liked to make sure their day was perfect. Our favourite was the red princess style dress (seen below) as it flowed beautifully as the model walked and really stands out in summer, but could even be worn during the winter months with a faux-fur wrap.
Olivia Archibald joins the models on stage to sing a number of wedding songs
Decorate it!
There are no boundaries when it comes to homemade wedding decorations and these should reflect your wedding’s theme When it comes to wedding decorations, the sky is the limit! As long as they fit your wedding style and the theme of your wedding then you can pretty much design your decorations and tables anyway that you want to. Chloe Adlington, author of Lovemakingit.co.uk explains that what makes a good decoration is “something that represents you as a couple and reflects you’re personalities. The simplest little touches can look amazing if they say something about your style.” The first place to start would be designing your place settings. Jessica Fisk, a newlywed from Wales, got married by the beach and made her table name cards out of pebbles collected from the beach which fitted the wedding’s theme and said that she would recommend homemade aspects of wedding planning to anyone. Craig, her husband, said: “We bought the vases, collected the pebbles from the beach, bought the willow branches and the flowers and put them all together the night before the wedding at the same time as we were doing the cake.” When it comes to centre pieces, Chloe’s advice would be to add fresh flowers if unsure about centre pieces. “There are lots of DIY options but I would say that fresh flowers always make the difference.” Whether you arrange your own flowers or whether you decide to go for something more homemade, the important thing is that they fit the style of your wedding. So if you are feeling creative you could design the whole table, or if you just want to design a part of it then go for the name cards or napkin holders.
Craig and Jess’ pebble table settings
Make your bride a present! For the maid of honour or bridesmaids - why not make your bride a present for her wedding day! It could be something like a picture board of all your favourite photos to make her laugh or something that she could wear on the day to remind her of you and her friends, for example a charm bracelet and all the bridesmaids could buy her a charm each. Cassie Skerritt, from North Wales, got married in September last year and one of her friends made her a Liverpool Football Club Garter for her wedding day, see below. Her Husband, Paul, is a huge fan of the club so her friend made her the garter so that it made her outfit that extra bit more special and unique.
Fairytale summer issue 39