Author Archives: wedding@admin

Beautiful outdoor venues

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When planning a wedding outdoor wedding venues give you so many more options when it comes to location and usually provides beautiful scenery. On the other hand, there are so many more potential problems and obstacles that can arise by having an outdoor wedding. This is mainly due to the fact that you never know for sure what on earth the weather is going to do. So here are some tips for planning an outdoor wedding.

Prepare for the Weather

Once you have chosen a location, you will need to set a date. While setting the date, keep in mind of what the weather is like there during that time of year. The UK is a little unpredictable we know, but although it may be raining in the summer it’s usually a nice temperature.

Prepare accordingly for the potential weather and have a backup location in case the rain tries to spoil your day. One item that can really save the day is a marquee. A marquee can save you from light rain and can help shade your guests on a hot, sunny day. A marquee isn’t the cure all for all rain though; if it is a downpour, the ground under the marquee will get soggy and muddy. You’ll still want to have a backup, indoor location just in case. Another weather factor you need to take into consideration is the wind. When choosing wedding hair and makeup, relate to your hairdresser that you’re going to have an outdoor wedding. The stylist will be sure to give you a fantastic look that won’t be blowing away in the wind.

Location

You will need to decide which location you want to have the wedding at. Have you had your heart set on a beachfront wedding at sunset ever since you were a little girl dreaming about your wedding? Or maybe you prefer a more rustic, woodsy setting. The options are endless: at the park where you shared your first kiss, in your back garden, or at the cinema, the list goes on and on!

Once you choose your location, go through the proper procedures. Be sure no one has booked the area for another wedding or event. If the site is public property, get a permit to hold your wedding. Most parks and public beaches require a permit. Also, check with the council on what the rules and regulations are on rubbish removal, and if you can have candles, etc.

Accommodating Your Guests

Be sure to take care of your guests. If it’s going to be a hot day, have fans and bottled water available to your guests. Be mindful of your guests when you’re setting up the seating, etc. Make sure they’re not blinded by the sun the entire ceremony. It’s also nice to give them some notice in the invitation what to expect. For example, suggest they wear comfortable shoes for sand or soft ground or to bring sunscreen or a sun hat for a bright day.

Keep your guests in mind on a few other notes as well. With an outdoor ceremony, you’ll discover a lot of extra noise all around, whether it be the waves coming ashore or the wind blowing through the trees. Work with your band or DJ to get a wireless microphone or some sort of sound system set up for you.

Don’t Forget!

Here are some things you may or may not think about while you’re planning, but are important to help your day go as smoothly as possible. Have ample seating for your guests both at the ceremony and reception. There are a lot of wedding suppliers out there, and most of them also offer linens, chair covers and marquees. Linens and chair decor are great ways to boost the overall look. If you’re holding the reception outdoors as well, you’ll more than likely need to rent a dance floor.

An outdoor wedding is a beautiful way to have your special day. Keep in mind these suggestions when planning. Also, take tips and advice from any of your vendors (photographers/ videographers) who have worked outdoor events. They have the experience and know about situations that can arise.

 

The roaring 20’s

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The Roaring 20s are a big one. This decade is full of Big Band Jazz, Art Deco visuals, and intricately adorned ensembles. Here are some ideas for your 1920’s Wedding theme:

  • For a 1920s theme, a classic palette of black, white and gold is easy to achieve and truly timeless and elegant. For the bride, we love the look of a trumpet-style gown.
  • Bridesmaids can be styled in simple LBDs with the addition of headpieces or fascinators, and the groomsmen will look dashing in classic black tuxedos.
  • Champagne towers are making a comeback, especially in Roaring 20s-inspired celebrations. We adore the look of sophisticated black and white striped linens.
  • For brides preferring something a little more colourful, jewel tones are the way to go! Think of the rich shades of a peacock feather for inspiration.
  • ​With vintage ​wedding cars you can show up in style and use this classic as a prop in your wedding photos.
  • ​For wedding entertainment, try a unique performer like a Charlie Chaplin impersonator. With a comedic 20s era presence, Charlie can make your guests feel like they’ve travelled to a time of satire and silent films.
  • ​For your wedding photos, ask your wedding photographer about vintage overlay options for development. Your big day will be captured with a nostalgic 1920s look.

We wish you a happy marriage and roaring celebration!

 

Wonderful winter weddings

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A winter wedding can look absolutely beautiful. But which songs, hymns or carols should you incorporate into your big day that highlights this sensational season without being too Christmassy? We’ve selected five that go perfectly!

Winter – Vivaldi

It doesn’t matter if you play this exceptional tune from speakers or a string quartet as it truly is beautiful music to have as you walk down the aisle. Alternatively, you might wish to have Vivaldi playing whilst everybody is taking their seats for their ceremony; it really is a magnificent piece of wedding music. Even so, you might wish to skip the first two minutes as they are a tad intense for the ceremony! From then on though, this is a perfect tune for a winter wedding.

Walking in the Air – Peter Auty

Peter who? Aled Jones is the person most famous for singing Walking in the Air but did you know that it was actually Peter Auty who sang the song that you hear in The Snowman? He was too old to record it when the song became a hit so along came Aled Jones to take the glory. But let’s back on track: this is a stunning winter song to have at your wedding because it sounds superb no matter which instrument plays it. Harp, guitar, string quartet, solo vocalist… They all sound perfect. It’s also just the right amount of Christmassy for your ceremony, paying homage to the season but not being overtly about the season.

Love is all Around – The Troggs

This is an interesting one because although it was a summer hit way when Wet Wet Wet covered it back in 1994, a lot of your guests will hear Love is all Around and think of Christmas. Why? Thanks to Love Actually of course! In the film, Billy Mack records his own festive version of the song and it actually works rather well. A lovely tune that is sure to have a few people tapping their toes as you walk down the aisle, we think it sounds absolutely gorgeous from a string quartet, which is perhaps why the Troggs’ had one on the original hit!

Once in Royal David’s City – Choir of King’s College, Cambridge

For this particular list, you could honestly pick any Christmas carol so if Once in Royal David’s City isn’t your type of tune then feel free to swap it for something more up your street. Whether you’d like your congregation to sing a carol or book a choir to do the honours, there’s no denying that there is a sensational sense of beauty to the finest carols and it’s definitely a perk of getting married in December.

All You Need is Love – Lynden David Hall

Yes, yes, yes, we know that it’s another song from Love Actually but this one even features in the wedding scene at the beginning of the film! What more inspiration could you need? Soulfully sang by Lynden David Hall, various instruments appear from the pews during the ceremony, much to the delight of Keira Knightley and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

 

To have and to hold

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When planning a wedding there’s no doubt about it, in this day and age more and more couples are choosing to write their own wedding vows rather than follow the traditional verse. If you’re a modern man or woman, it probably makes sense, with the traditional vows perhaps being a bit too traditional in their tone, while many couples like to tailor their words to their partner in a more personal manner. With that in mind, here are a few tips!

Read Wedding Vows Online

We don’t mean the traditional words – though they could help too – but vows written by other modern couples! You can either watch them on YouTube or have a read through a variety of wedding sites. Certain phrases or ideas might be too good to pass up!

Agree on a Tone

This is a must because you don’t want to exchange vows for the first time at the altar, with one of you opting for a deadly serious tone and the other joking about the hilarity of the first date jitters. Pick a tone between you and stick to it. References to parts of the relationship are a nice idea, but ensure that you aren’t saying things to one another that your partner doesn’t want to be heard in front of friends and family…

Have a Ponder

What makes your relationship special? How do you view the person that you’re going to marry? Can you explain how they make you feel in just three words? What inspires you? What are you going to accomplish together? What difficulties have you faced as a couple? What does the future hold? These are all questions that can help when it comes to writing your wedding vows. Write the answers and then combine these thoughts into something coherent for the big day.

Think of a Promise

If you decided to google ‘define vows’, you’ll find that a vow is described as ‘a solemn promise’. As such, your vows shouldn’t just be a vivid description of how much you love the person in front of you but a moment to promise something to them, throughout your forthcoming wedded lives. “To love and to hold…” is of course the most famous traditional line, but we think you can come up with something just as good.

Don’t go on and on…and on…

…and on. A wedding is all about two people coming together and yes, it should be a given that you love each other very much, but unless you’re a top quality poet who’s won a Nobel Prize for your grasp of literary verse, it’s often best to keep your vows short and to the point. Nobody wants to feel that the most important of the wedding is dragging on and often, shorter is better (just like the wedding speeches!) with more meaningful choice words winning out over long, rambling declarations of love each and every time.

Enjoy it!

Our final tip isn’t so much a tip as a simple hope: Enjoy it! This is the only time you’ll get to say how you feel to your partner with all eyes on you. You’re marrying the love of your life! Make it special and bask in the occasion.

Good luck!

 

Great wedding entertainment

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How many of those who have been married can remember each and every guest twenty years later? If only there was a way to remember… Well with our five fab entertainment ideas, there is!

Signed Jenga Blocks

Who doesn’t love a good game? You might be thinking of the classic board games like Monopoly, Cluedo and Connect 4 but between you and us, there are many better modern board games that have been invented since. Even so, nothing beats a game of Jenga played with blocks that have been individually signed by each and every person at your wedding. You’ll need a sharpie to write properly on the wood, but trust us when we say the idea of having your future children play with the wedding Jenga blocks and find out what people thought about their parents on their wedding day is truly magical.

Graffiti Table

Buying the happy couple a wedding gift on their wedding day is tradition. Aside from the usual things like plates, a corkscrew and err, a candy floss machine, happily married newlyweds often tend to chuck a few slightly more expensive items on the wedding list just in case. Well we can tell you now that a table doesn’t have to be there because, their brand new table can be signed by everybody in attendance on their wedding day!

Not sure if you want a table scrawled upon by all of your guests? Alternatively you could hire a graffiti wall and have the resulting scribbles condensed down into a cool one sheet poster for your lounge or bedroom wall.

Photo Booth Album

Photo booths are still tremendously popular at weddings. What’s not to love? In this modern world of sharing every aspect of our lives online, having numerous wedding photos taken with props seems like a hugely fun idea. The problem is that they may just end up on a random Facebook album, never surfacing ever again. You can change all that with photo booth photo albums! Your guests’ photos are printed out in mere seconds after they take their pictures, before they affix the photo into a book and write a meaningful message beneath it. Lovely.

 

2018 Weddings

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If you’re one of the lucky couples who got engaged over the holidays or if you’re finally looking to tie the knot over the next twelve months, then here are our top tips for helping your wedding stand out from the crowd in 2018.

Living Bars

If you’re looking to get rid of your Christmas tree over the next few days and thinking of the waste that has been caused (you could always go potted next year!) then this will come as no surprise. With the general public becoming more conscious of their waste, living bars at weddings are becoming an embodiment of such beliefs. Not only could you create a grassy landscape indoors but vines rising up from the floor can provide a beautiful accompaniment to your big day. Nature’s entertainment!

Destination Weddings

Holding your wedding abroad is becoming increasingly popular as couples come together from all corners of the globe. If the bride is from Spain and the groom is from France then where should you get married? It’s often a difficult one to ponder but we suggest picking somewhere that will appeal to both of you. With some hot weather thrown in you could be on to a winner. Worried about the entertainment? Don’t be! You can book musicians and other acts for numerous destinations and often book flights each and every week!

Intimate Surroundings

A wedding doesn’t have to be a huge celebration but can instead benefit from the beauty of intimate surroundings. Whether your vows are exchanged in a tiny marquee or stunning private beach, tightening the belt could well be what it’s all about this year! That doesn’t mean you’ll be missing out on some great wedding entertainment though; strolling acts enhance the intimacy and the atmosphere to create a truly perfect wedding environment.

An After Party

No, we don’t mean the wedding reception! Nothing can ever replace the celebratory atmosphere of a wedding reception but we are seeing more and more requests for wedding entertainment at the so-called after party. This is the moment when the bride can change into a lighter dress, some late night food turns up and all of the traditional aspects of the ceremony make way for a less formal evening. Book a DJ and ramp up the fun!

 

Royal Venues

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Still longing for a Royal wedding type venue?  Here are some more ideas on Wedding venues that will really wow your guests and make you feel like princess for the day…

Cambridge Cottage

The former royal residence of the Duke of Cambridge (no, not that one), Cambridge Cottage became a part of Kew Gardens in 1904. The building is suitable for civil ceremonies and dining, with a stunning drawing room and gallery spaces, where botanical artwork adorns the walls. Both of these rooms open out onto the Duke’s Garden a brilliant choice for wedding photographs or outdoor drinks.

Nash Conservatory

The Nash Conservatory is the oldest of the 19th century glasshouses at Kew and is of major historical and architectural importance. It didn’t actually begin life at Kew; the building was originally built in the grounds of Buckingham Palace before being move brick by brick to Kew Gardens in 1836! Featuring floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, the building is served by an abundance of natural light and can hold up to 200 guests, depending on your requirements.

Princess of Wales Conservatory

A unique drinks reception venue for your wedding, the Princess of Wales Conservatory is the most complex glasshouse at Kew Gardens. Containing ten computer-controlled climatic zones, up to 200 guests are able to enjoy drinks and canapés whilst admiring the botanical wonders nearby. Will they be able to find the rare orchids or Chinese Water Dragons? A short stroll from the other Kew Venues, this is a fabulous celebration space for those who love nature!

Orangery

Perhaps the most popular venue at Kew from our perspective, the Orangery is a hugely popular building filled with citrus trees, that is just perfect for your wedding dinner and the dance that follows! We’ve provided a whole host of brilliant bands to play in this venue over the years, with the large, open plan design allowing a happy couple to customise the area to their delectation. High ceilings and arched windows help to add natural light to the space with spectacular views of Kew able to be enjoyed from the terrace in the summer months.

Sir Joseph Banks Building

Named after the famed botanist, the Sir Joseph Banks Building is a gorgeous modern wedding venue that can hold a maximum of 230 people and is also home to Kew’s Economic Botany Collection. Often hired in conjunction with the Orangery, the building is licensed for religious ceremonies and sports impressive large windows that provide vast swathes of natural light. Entrance to the venue is provided through the Atrium, which can be used to welcome wedding guests upon their arrival.

 

Kids entertainment ideas

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When planning a wedding, you can’t leave the kids at home you want everyone to enjoy your big day. We appreciate some people want their wedding to be kid free, but sometimes your special guests won’t be able to attend if their kids can’t be present too.  How about a few Wedding entertainment ideas to keep the kids seen but not heard!!!

Comedian

Perfect for deploying during the speeches, hiring a children’s comedian can entertain the kids in another room whilst their parents are listening to the best man’s various anecdotes about the groom.

Clowns

There’s nothing better than having a clown at your wedding! Able to put a smile on everybody’s face, clowns can entertain children at your wedding with a fun show that focuses on a variety of skills including magic and comedy. Perfect for the young and young at heart.

Balloon Modellers

There are a number of fun balloon modellers to hire that can entertain children in a variety of ways. Not just for children’s parties, these superb artists can make pretty much anything out of their very special balloons. Whether a child would like a dog or perhaps even a hat ‘made’ from Pineapple and other delights, our balloon modellers are more than up to the task. Unlike other children’s entertainment, you might just find your adult guests wanting to get involved as well!

Face Painting

A simple and traditional idea and one that always goes down brilliantly, face painting is a hugely popular affair at every event and wedding. Whether children would like to go for a tiger look or a butterfly, there are numerous options available to ensure that every single child is happy on your special day.

 

Historical Weddings

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Have your every wanted a Royal Wedding, but actually you haven’t got Royal blood?  Well, fear not, we have some Wedding venue ideas which will make you feel very royal indeed….

Kensington Palace

Located in the heart of Kensington Gardens, Kensington Palace is still home to British royalty and offers a timeless elegance and charm that delights all who visit. With beautiful gardens of its own, the venue offers an opportunity to get married in a building that has been home to British history for more than 300 years. Kensington Palace’s Orangery is a sight to behold and is licensed for ceremonies as well as being suitable for dinner and dancing. With exceptionally easy access, we also don’t mind saying that the venue is perfect for ensuring that your entertainment all gets in safely as well! Although you might be taken in by the Orangery, we also recommend considering a floral backdrop, with the Sunken Garden being a particularly beautiful and secluded choice for your family and friends to enjoy.

Hampton Court Palace

King Henry VIII’s residence is certainly one of the most popular stately homes in the country, not least because it has a maze! Who wouldn’t love to have a maze in their back garden? It didn’t exist back in King Henry VIII’s time, but has still been there for over 300 years! But this is your wedding we are talking about so unless you have children attending, you might not be too interested in all that! Hiring Hampton Court Palace offers you a top wedding venue in which to exchange vows, be it in the gardens or in the palace itself. Splendid formal gardens and elegant cobble courtyards are the order of the day around this Tudor marvel and the famous red brick makes for a stunning backdrop for your wedding photos. As for dinner and your reception? Well, you can choose from the Great Hall, the Undercroft and also the Orangery and Privy Garden or maybe even ‘Little Banqueting House’. All of these spaces have to be seen to be believed but we promise you that you will not be disappointed. Gorgeous!

Banqueting House

From Little Banqueting House to Big Banqueting House! Hiring Banqueting House for your wedding is certainly a compelling idea when you consider the awe-inspiring architecture by Inigo Jones and the incredible decoration of the interior; where else can you get married underneath an original Rubens ceiling painting? Specially created for entertaining back in 1622, Banqueting House is one of the most dazzling wedding venues in London, both the Main Hall and Undercroft are fully licensed for weddings and there are some fantastic lighting options available to really make use of the space. With glittering chandeliers and vast windows that face onto Whitehall, you’ll be truly in for a day to never forget.

 

Share your wedding

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Wedding ceremonies are all about sharing. While the big day ultimately belongs to you, it’s also a special and significant moment for the people who know and love you best. So, how can you involve your guests to make your wedding day into a truly shared experience for everyone?

Photo opportunities

Posing for wedding photographs is the perfect opportunity to get everyone involved while creating some stunning shots! You could set up an aerial shot and get everyone to stand in formation to make a heart shape or a word. Or if you have suitable space, why not lead everyone in a procession around the grounds of your wedding venue? It’ll be a special, shared experience to cherish, and you’ll be able to treasure some ‘action shots’ of all your guests together.

Like and share

Yes, today’s wedding ceremonies can now be digital events! Why not create a real-time Twitter Wall at your reception, where you can project your guests’ tweets by giving them a dedicated #weddinghashtag?

Ceremonial rituals

For centuries, people have used rituals to help cement their unions. One relatively new wedding ritual is the lighting of the unity candle, where close family members of the betrothed couple light a separate candle each before the ceremony. The newlyweds then take their respective candles and bring them together to light one single flame.

In a twist to include everyone in your new union, you could hold a version of this ceremony in reverse, letting each guest light a candle of their own from your united flame.

Confetti throwing

Showering confetti over the happy couple is another time-honoured wedding ritual. Make sure everyone is prepared for the big moment by handing out confetti dispensers like wands or cannons to all your guests. (This is a job that you can delegate to a trustworthy member of the wedding party)! Alternatively, why not set up a ‘confetti bar’ beforehand, so that everyone can mix and match their own unique concoction?

Wedding entertainment

Once you’re on the dancefloor, you’ll want everyone to come and join the party. Why not make everyone feel included by playing one song for each guest?. The DJ can announce any special dedications or significant songs with comments from the nominator. The mixtape approach will make your reception into a truly communal experience that everyone will appreciate… and they’ll have no excuse not to get up on their feet and boogie!

It’s also good to give your guests somewhere they can all share their respective photos of the day. Wedding apps like WedPics allow your guests to upload all their snaps to one central place, making sure you don’t miss a thing! Alternatively, set up a Facebook event for your wedding day. This will ensure that everyone can communicate and stay in touch after the big day, if they so wish.