Category Archives: Setting

What to wear as a guest

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Check your invitation

Has the bride specified a strict dress code for what to wear to the wedding? Will it be a black tie affair? Are there hats involved? Firstly, check your invitation. This will give you a good indication of where to start.

Don’t wear white

Female wedding guests should avoid wearing anything white or ivory – these shades are strictly reserved for the bride. Men should avoid wearing a morning suit, you don’t want to turn up looking like a member of the wedding party when you’re actually not.

Mum’s the word!

Try to find out what colour the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom are wearing and, as a guest, try to avoid these colours. It’s a big day for the mums as well and they want to stand out in the photos as much as the bride.

Don’t over or under – dress

One thing is for sure, wearing jeans, T-shirt and trainers is a massive no for anyone attending wedding. We know it’s going to be a long day and you can start to feel uncomfortable but it’s not all about you! This is the bride’s special day and this is a formal occasion, so you need to dress appropriately. Let the bride and groom know that you’ve made a special effort for their day. Don’t over dress with huge, eye-catching details that will take the emphasis of the bride. Equally, don’t under dress and give the vicar an eye full! For the guys, a well-fitting suit, shirt and shiny shoes is all you need. During the day, make sure you wear a tie – this can be discarded in the evening once the party becomes more casual.

Ideas for finishing touches

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Finishing touches are so important. They’re the icing on the cake, they tie your whole theme together and show your guests that you’ve thought about every last detail.

But here’s the thing – they don’t have to be expensive. Some of the most beautiful finishing touches we’ve seen in real weddings have been from brides who have used their imagination and creativity. One of our favourite shots of the year so far has to be this beautiful picture of ribbons hanging from a chair back. Simple, elegant and inexpensive – the perfect finishing touch.

All that glitters

Wedding flowers are the perfect opportunity for brides to make a personality statement. Tangerine is a key colour and works well with pink and gold.

Talking of gold, this is the colour to luxe up your wedding look. We love apples covered in gold leaf, gold charger plates, and even the golden wrapping on Ferrero Rocher!

The great outdoors

Tree-inspired schemes are going to be big this year – think bark pots, hanging tree decorations and large branch arrangements.

When it comes to hanging wedding decorators, our favourite new idea is the pom pom. Easy to make and instantly eye catching, they can be hung from the ceiling at your reception or in your marquee.

Don’t forget your aisle when it comes to decorations. Ask your florist to create some simple pew ends and attach them to the end of each pew with a pretty ribbon in your wedding colour(s). For a budget-friendly, alternative finishing touches why not pick some flowers and stand them in jam jars at the entrance to your ceremony?

Using lavender seeds to spread a scent is an old wedding florist’s trick and one that’s easy to steal. Simply drop some at the entrance to your marquee and let the guests spread the scent on your shoes as they walk around – brilliant!

Budget Blooms

Is your wedding flower budget almost gone? Fear not! Add a single stem to every other person’s place setting to pretty up your tables in an instant.

When it comes to finishing touches in the hair, peonies or garden roses are so effective. Purse friendly and oh-so pretty, they will work just as well as a comb or tiara.

But perhaps the easiest finishing touch to include in your day is a personal, hand written note to your guests. Tell them how much you appreciate them and how important it is that they’re sharing your special day.

A Humanist Wedding

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Today, in England and Wales, we can add the introduction of licensed venues, civil partnerships and (imminently) same-sex marriages to this list – but there is one other form of ceremony which is inexorably gaining more and more attention – Humanist Ceremonies.

Why a Humanist Ceremony?

Wouldn’t it be great to start your married life with a ceremony that really means something? To tell your friends and family what your relationship means to you, and why you are choosing to get married?

Many of us who aren’t religious are looking for a wedding that is more flexible and personal than a civil or register office ceremony.

A humanist, non-religious wedding ceremony gives you the opportunity to marry where you want, when you want and how you want. There’s no set script: it’s too personal an occasion for that. Instead, each wedding is tailored to meet the particular couple’s requirements. You can set the tone that’s right for you and choose your own words and music.

Humanist weddings are perfect for couples who would like:

  • A meaningful ceremony that isn’t religious
  • To marry outdoors or at a location that isn’t licensed for civil weddings
  • The flexibility to create a personal ceremony that is unique to them
  • To get to know the person who will be conducting their wedding
  • To celebrate their marriage with family and friends but without legally registering it – perhaps they have already undertaken the formalities overseas, for example.
  • So if this ceremony strikes a few (wedding bell) chords with you, then we’ve put a little information together to help you out with the basics and practicalities of planning your own Humanist wedding.
  • Those who don’t feel comfortable with the conformist aspects of a religious wedding have the option to legally marry by conducting a ‘civil ceremony’ (and have done since the 19th century) and those who want total freedom have the further alternative of holding a Humanist ceremony.

In essence, Humanist Ceremonies present a simple way to allow each couple complete freedom and control over this central part of their big day – whilst focusing on shared human values rather than traditional religious aspects.

Get married outside!

One of the major plusses for choosing a Humanist Ceremony, besides the aforementioned freedoms, is the opportunity to conduct the main part of your ceremony outdoors!

How about a fairground wedding?

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We’ve picked out five funfair wedding venues to inspire you if you want to treat your guests to something a little different on your wedding day. If you can’t find a wedding venue with a funfair near you, why not look into hiring funfair attractions to add something extra to your reception?

1. Marleybrook House

Kent wedding venue Marleybrook House, former home to legendary cabaret star Eartha Kitt, has its own Vintage Fayre! The venue will set it up for you – we recommend keeping it a secret until the day so you can see your guests’ faces when you arrive!

There are retro side stalls including an original 1940s High Striker to test strength and swing boats from 1890. Set up next to hay bales, apple crates and a vintage tractor, it will take you back in time.

2. Blists Hill Victoria Town

If you’re looking for a unique wedding venue in the Midlands, the Ironbridge Gorge Museums in Shropshire are a good choice. This includes Blists Hill Victorian Town, which is a recreation of a working Victorian town complete with a funfair. 

The funfair is set up opposite where most receptions take place and you and your guests can enjoy chair-o-planes, coconut shy’s, swing boats, and on certain days, a magnificent Victorian carousel featuring galloping horses. Imagine the wedding picture opportunities

3. The Hop Farm 

Home to The Hop Farm Festival, The Hop Farm also has a funfair which you can use at your wedding. It includes the amazing ‘giant jumping pillows’ to bounce away on, as well as an amazing vintage carousel, amongst other things.

The Kent wedding venue is popular for those who want a wedding with a fun, unique twist!

4. The Garden Room Syon Park

This stunning wedding reception venue comes complete with adjacent outside space, set within acres of idyllic parkland. The gardens can be used for welcome drinks, giving your wedding day the wow factor from the very start. The gardens can also be used to host a fun fair to entertain your guests, complete with rides, side stalls and candy floss.

A light and airy reception room comes complete with contemporary furnishings and an understated colour scheme, enabling you to keep it traditional or create a personalised look for your special day.

5. Preston Court

Preston Court has a lot to offer when it comes to your wedding – there are large gardens with lakes, lawns and a magical island that boasts a regency wrought iron bridge – so you can marry outside in the garden or in front of a magnificent fairground organ, located in the barn.
There is a full scale and fully operational Victorian carousel, complete with galloping horses and chariots – lots of fun for your guests and amazing for pictures – and a Victorian showman’s wagon which is used as a dressing room on the day. The fairground organs can be played on the day, and there is a selection of fairground games available too.

Unique Wedding Ideas

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Here are some top ideas to make your wedding a standout celebration.

A Luxurious Reception Lounge

Give guests a place to mingle between dance breaks by creating a lounge area at your reception. Fill the space with couches or chairs and plenty of pillows to sink into. It’s the perfect way to keep everyone in on the party even when they’re resting. Really want to wow? Close off the area with curtains to create a VIP vibe.

Ushers

You may already be planning to have your ushers escort guests to their ceremony seats, but consider having reception ushers. These “live escort cards” walk guests to their tables for an upscale restaurant experience. Ask your reception venue or caterer if its waiting staff can do this double duty, or assign a few ushers to the job.

Guest Transportation

If you’re planning on shuttling your guests from the ceremony to the reception, make the journey part of the fun by renting some seriously cool mass transportation. Take wedding transportation to new heights with a hot air balloon ride. Or, if it’ll suit your wedding style, get nostalgic with some charming yellow school buses. And for extra flair, customize the ride by playing fun music or decking out the bus with a sign that reads, “Sarah and John’s wedding or bust!”

Pre ceremony cocktails

Your guests won’t be expecting any drinks until the reception, so give them a pleasant surprise by setting up a table of light beverages on the way into the ceremony. Just don’t serve anything too strong — think: mimosas or fruit-infused iced teas they can sip before taking their seats (and don’t forget to have non-alcoholic versions too!). Have your caterer or ushers collect any stray glasses to make sure the space is tidy before the processional begins.

Welcome Bags

Make your guests feel like VIPs with welcome bags that go beyond a map and a few snacks. Stuff personalized tote bags with mini bottles of bubbly or a six-pack of a local microbrew, a gift certificate to your favourite local coffee shop and an individual “Welcome!” note from you.

Make your guests feel like VIPs with welcome bags that go beyond a map and a few snacks. Stuff personalized tote bags with mini bottles of bubbly or a six-pack of a local microbrew, a gift certificate to your favourite local coffee shop and an individual “Welcome!” note from you.

Wedding favours

Keep your guests comfortable all day by thinking ahead. Out of town guests will appreciate a custom scented soap so they don’t have to rely on the standard hotel samples. Planning on dancing until the next morning? Put out baskets of flip-flops (in your wedding colours, of course) so guests can take their shoes off. Having an outdoor reception that might get breezy? Make sure guests keep warm by offering up some cosy pashminas. And for a summer outdoor ceremony in the afternoon, provide a station with spray-on sunscreen and a stack of inexpensive sunglasses.

Convenient Child Care

Hire a babysitter (or two) and set her up in a room so your youngest guests have a place to go when they tire out. If it’s possible, pick a room near your reception location so parents can stop by to check in on and then return to the party easily. Stock the room with snacks, games and a portable DVD player to keep them entertained, and make sure there’s a soft sofa and blankets for those inevitable naps.

Find the right music for your wedding

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When you begin that walk down the aisle towards your fiancé the atmosphere is going to be electric. So make sure the music you choose is not going to kill the mood of your wedding day.

We suggest that you don’t choose anything too cutting edge. That doesn’t mean to say you can’t show off your taste in music but if you choose that week’s number one hit, you might regret it in years to come. Just as you might regret wearing a wedding dress that’s heavily styled for the moment. Go a little classic and you’ll never be out of style.

There are also some things you’ll need to bear in mind when making your music choices.

You need to consider just how long it’s going to take you to walk down the aisle. It usually takes about one to two minutes for most brides to walk the aisle. So choose a piece that doesn’t have a long intro or is instantly recognisable. If you’re planning a religious ceremony, some churches won’t allow you to play non-classical music or your own music. So you need to check your choices with the vicar.

Next, you should be thinking about how your music is going to be played. If it’s in a religious building, keep it classic and have it played on the organ. Alternatively, you could organise your own musicians to full the hall with romance.

Four pieces of music to play when you walk down the aisle;

The wedding processional from the Sound of Music.

Not a religious piece so you can use it in a civil ceremony. It’s majestic, grand and dramatic all at the same time. You’ll feel like a princess when you walk down the aisle to this.

Clair de Lune by Debussy.

This is a gorgeous tune to have played on the piano. It’s quiet, atmospheric and very romantic. Also not religious, so you could have it played while your guests are being seated.

For The Love of a Princess from Braveheart.

An atmospheric folk tune that’s emotional and sentimental in the right ways. Bound to bring tears to the eyes as your guests watch you start your walk.

The Bridal Chorus by Wagner.

Well this is the most traditional of traditional music to walk up the aisle to. Everybody will know you’ve arrived when this starts to play!

Now what about after you’ve said your vows? When you’ve signed the register and you’re legally man and wife and starting the first steps on your new life together?

Here you can change the tempo a little bit, and have something that’s celebratory and uplifting.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours by Stevie Wonder.

This says it all really. You’ve said your vows and you’re on your way. A timeless piece that’s joyful, catchy and instantly recognisable.

How to choose the right music

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When planning a wedding, how do you choose the right wedding reception songs? What tunes will keep the dance floor packed all night? What will suit the theme of your day? And what will be appropriate for your guests?

5 of the best first dance songs

First dance songs are traditionally romantic and say something about you as a couple. But remember, they don’t have to be slow like the five popular choices here. If your wedding ceremony isn’t traditional, then why have a traditional first dance? Go for something faster, choreograph a professional dance – perhaps a Tango – or just have a mas dance with your friends.

At Last Etta James
If I Ain’t Got You Alicia Keys
Let’s Stay Together Al Green
All My Life K-Ci & JoJo
I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing Aerosmith

5 of the best floor fillers

Keep them dancing all night, and give them great memories of your big day with these classic floor fillers – why not choose one of these songs to play after the first dance to encourage everyone onto the dance floor?

I Gotta Feeling Black Eyed Peas
Sex On Fire Kings of Leon
We Found Love Rhianna
Give Me Everything Pitbull & Afro Jack
Mr Brightside the Killers

5 of the best songs to end the night

Choose a song to be played at about 11.30pm, dance with all your guests and then make your final exit – we love running out of the venue under a tunnel of sparklers, the perfect photo opportunity.

New York New York Frank Sinatra
You to Me Are Everything The real thing
One Love Bob Marley
Ho Hey The Lumineers
Bohemian Rhapsody Queen

5 of the best singalong songs

Your wedding video should capture all the special moments of the big day. It should also capture those candid moments with you and your friends laughing and jumping around on the dancefloor, having the time of your lives. These songs will help you do just that…

Valerie Amy Winehouse
Celebration Kool & The Gang
Can’t Help Myself The Four Tops
Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel Tavares
My Girl The Temptations

5 of the best songs for dancing with your Dad

Not every bride has a dance with her father, but we think it’s a tradition that’s worth bringing back for 2017! Show your dad just how much he means to you (and that he’s still the number one man in your life) with a dance at the reception.

I Loved Her First Heartland
Father and Daughter Paul Simon
Isn’t She Lovely Stevie Wonder
When You Need Me Bruce Springsteen
Ain’t That Love Ray Charles

Alternatively, if you really want to surprise your guests, how about doing a dance routine with your Dad like this amazing bride and her father! Would your dad do something like this for you on the wedding day? How else is he helping you out on the day?

Kew a beautiful Wedding venue

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Choosing a wedding venue is almost always on the top of a couple’s ‘to do’ list.  This is the place that you will remember forever, it is the place where you will kiss your new husband/wife for the first time, it is the place where you will take your children and your grand-children back to, all to show them where you had the happiest day of your life. 

So a wedding venue needs to be characterful with its own qualities that make it desirable for a couple, but it must also to be enough of a blank canvas that a couple can put their own stamp on it.

Kew Gardens is a beautiful venue.  There are a number of beautiful and completely different areas within the venue of Kew Garden, that offer endless possibilities for the big day

There is the cosy Cambridge Cottage that can hold up to 80 guests for both ceremony and wedding reception.  The Cottage is a former royal residence and has a clean and fresh décor, which allows the Bride and Groom to choose any particular colour to use throughout the wedding, happily knowing that it will not clash with anything will always look perfect.  The cottage is steeped in traditional horticulture with floral pictures on the walls, which some couples do like to combine with their own ideas; using very bright and expressive flowers to decorate the venue, or use flower names as table names.

With entertainment, the light and elegant tone of Cambridge Cottage lends itself perfectly to string instruments, particular the harp or string quartet for a ceremony or reception.  The cottage backs on to the gardens and the sound of a string quartet drifting through the air could not be more perfect for a warm, summer wedding.

For the evening, the intimacy of Cambridge Cottage means that either a 4-piece band or a DJ works really well and creates a flawless party atmosphere.

Within the Grounds of the Gardens there are also the 3 beautiful Conservatories – The Nash Conservatory is a nineteenth century glasshouse that has started being used for Civil Ceremonies this year and can hold up to 200 guests.  The Nash Conservatory is used in conjunction with The Orangery, which is available for evening hire for up to 400 guests for a cocktail reception

The Princess of Wales Conservatory can either be used by itself as a cocktail reception venue for up to 250 guests or in combination with The Orangery or Cambridge Cottage, as a venue for pre or post dinner drinks.  The Conservatory itself was commissioned in 1982 and was named after Princess Augusta, the founder of Kew.  Opened in 1987 by Diana, Princess of Wales, the Princess of Wales Conservatory is the most complex glasshouse at Kew, containing ten computer-controlled climatic zones, which only adds to this completely unique and interesting venue.

So with more than a few options for Weddings and Civil Ceremonies, it’s a great place to suggest wedding entertainment for – so many different acts work in the different spaces that the possibilities are endless

Ideas for beautiful wedding venues

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Choosing a wedding venue is almost always on the top of a couple’s ‘to do’ list.  This is the place that you will remember forever, it is the place where you will kiss your new husband/wife for the first time, it is the place where you will take your children and your grand-children back to, all to show them where you had the happiest day of your life. 

So a wedding venue needs to be characterful with its own qualities that make it desirable for a couple, but it must also to be enough of a blank canvas that a couple can put their own stamp on it.

Kew Gardens is a beautiful venue.  There are a number of beautiful and completely different areas within the venue of Kew Garden, that offer endless possibilities for the big day

There is the cosy Cambridge Cottage that can hold up to 80 guests for both ceremony and wedding reception.  The Cottage is a former royal residence and has a clean and fresh décor, which allows the Bride and Groom to choose any particular colour to use throughout the wedding, happily knowing that it will not clash with anything will always look perfect.  The cottage is steeped in traditional horticulture with floral pictures on the walls, which some couples do like to combine with their own ideas; using very bright and expressive flowers to decorate the venue, or use flower names as table names.

With entertainment, the light and elegant tone of Cambridge Cottage lends itself perfectly to string instruments, particular the harp or string quartet for a ceremony or reception.  The cottage backs on to the gardens and the sound of a string quartet drifting through the air could not be more perfect for a warm, summer wedding.

For the evening, the intimacy of Cambridge Cottage means that either a 4-piece band or a DJ works really well and creates a flawless party atmosphere.

Within the Grounds of the Gardens there are also the 3 beautiful Conservatories – The Nash Conservatory is a nineteenth century glasshouse that has started being used for Civil Ceremonies this year and can hold up to 200 guests.  The Nash Conservatory is used in conjunction with The Orangery, which is available for evening hire for up to 400 guests for a cocktail reception

The Princess of Wales Conservatory can either be used by itself as a cocktail reception venue for up to 250 guests or in combination with The Orangery or Cambridge Cottage, as a venue for pre or post dinner drinks.  The Conservatory itself was commissioned in 1982 and was named after Princess Augusta, the founder of Kew.  Opened in 1987 by Diana, Princess of Wales, the Princess of Wales Conservatory is the most complex glasshouse at Kew, containing ten computer-controlled climatic zones, which only adds to this completely unique and interesting venue.

So with more than a few options for Weddings and Civil Ceremonies, it’s a great place to suggest wedding entertainment for – so many different acts work in the different spaces that the possibilities are endless.

A handy 12-month planner

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The perfect Wedding needs planning and we thought that this 12-month handy wedding planner maybe just the job to ensure you are organised for the big day;

12 months to go…

Have the budget conversation with your fiancé and your parents?

Fix a date and time
Decide on guest numbers
Visit reception venues and book one as soon as possible
Buy wedding insurance

11 months to go…

Send save-the-dates

Book your wedding photographer and videographer (Make sure the church or wedding venue allows photos and videos to be shot!)
Book the caterer, DJ and/or band
Make appointments to try on wedding dresses

10 months to go…

Choose your guests – bridesmaids, ushers and best man etc.
Decide on your dress (allow at least six months for a made-to-measure dress to be delivered)
Choose and order your bridesmaid’s outfits.
Start thinking about a honeymoon, including the costs, season and flights

9 months to go…

Find a wedding florist and discuss your flowers, including buttonholes, bouquets and arrangements for the church and reception venue
Taste and confirm your menu and drinks with your caterer
Choose and order your bridesmaid outfits

8 months to go…

If you’re getting married in a church, discuss readings with the minister or priest and music with the musicians
If it’s a civil ceremony, enquire about what readings and music are permitted
Order invitations and envelopes (allow one invitation per married couple or family), plus place cards, menus and a seating plan

7 months to go…

Book transport to the wedding venue and on to the reception for you and your bridal party (as well as a car to take you to your first-night hotel or the airport)

Order your wedding cake

Choose and order wedding favours

6 months to go…

Remind your fiancé to get his and the usher’s outfits
Choose gifts for the wedding party
Pick your wedding rings
Confirm the order of service with your priest or registrar, and then have guest booklets printed. If you have a choir, they need copies, too

5 months to go…

Go honeymoon shopping (Remember summer clothes aren’t easy to find in the winter and vice versa!)
Book a hairdresser and style consultation (do this earlier if you’re planning to grow your hair)
Book your make-up artist and trial appointments

4 months to go…

If you’re changing your name, renew your passport now or do it after you have your honeymoon. The officiating minister or registrar will sign the form
Find out if you need visas or inoculations for your honeymoon.
Discuss hen and stag night plans with your friends.

3 months to go…

Pick a company and start gift-list window shopping!
Book for a colour (if you get your hair coloured) and a trim
Organise a rehearsal and inform those who will need to be there
Attend a reading of the banns, if you’ll marry in a church

2 months to go…

Send out invitations six weeks before the day and keep a list of acceptances
Check that your fiancé has organised the rings, his wedding clothes, and your first-night hotel
Try on your whole wedding outfit, including headdress, shoes and underwear. Forgotten anything? Get it!
Book any other beauty treatments (nails, fake tans, etc.)

1 month to go…

Confirm numbers with caterers and do the seating plan
Discuss special requests with your band or DJ
Order honeymoon currency and traveller’s cheques
Visit the hairdresser to try out hairstyles with your veil and tiara, and have your final cut and colour
Have your hen and stag nights – after all that running around, it’s time to party!