DECORATIONS, GIFTS, & FAVOURS

Reception decorations

If your wedding reception venue hasn’t already been decked out for you, and you’re looking for help to perfect the vision for your wedding day, Festival Hire + Party may be a good place to start for decorations, centrepieces, and accessories from shepherd’s hooks to table scatters, vases to wishing wells, and napkins to candle holders.

Candy bar at the reception

If you plan to offer kids (of all ages) the option of handfuls of candy to keep them going before and after the wedding meal, The Lolly Jar in Greytown can sort you out. You can choose a pick ‘n mix of your favourite sweets from all over the world from bon bons to chocolate. Candy buffet jars are also available for hire or purchase.

Gifts and favours

Depending on your budget and style of wedding, you might want to give your guests each a personalised wedding favour. Small containers of lollies are an option. One bride told us she and her husband gave every guest a decorative bottle of homemade mead. The giving of gifts to members of the bridal party can be a lovely way to thank your team for supporting you leading up to and on your special day. From Wairarapa’s Masterweave Textiles, you can purchase luxury alpaca and mohair throws and scarves, all packed up in gorgeous gift boxes. What about engraved cuff links or hip flasks? Or matching silk robes, pajamas, or bridal purses or clutches. Have fun finding and giving your special gifts.

The Lolly Jar can provide the perfect sweet treat for your special occasion. Choose from an extensive variety of lollies from all over the world. Fantastic for favors and brilliant for buffets. We also have a range of gorgeous candy buffet jars available for hire or purchase.

130 Main Street Greytown www.thelollyjar.co.nz thelollyjargreytown@gmail.com

0274 225 566 www.facebook.com/thelollyjarnz

Cakes at a wedding or civil union today have roots that reach back into ancient Rome. Marriage ceremonies ended with a wheat or barley cake broken over the bride’s head for luck and fertility.

Today, we focus on eating the wedding cakes instead, and they’re considered to bring good luck to everyone who does so. Made with an abundance of good quality ingredients, the cake symbolises a long-lasting, rich, and happy union. The bride cuts the first slice of cake to provide for her good fortune in the marriage or union. Slices of cake can also be kept for people unable to attend the reception. One cake-maker says that before deciding on a cake, it’s always a good idea to do a fun tasting session for the couple or a wider group of their friends.

“Back in the day,” she tells us, “Wedding cakes were always fruit, presumably because they would last longer.” Today, you can choose your own. So, for a tasting, she might provide samples of chocolate, lemon and yoghurt, carrot, and banana cakes.