Break the mould

They say your wedding day is the most important day of your life. For many brides this is most definitely the case, but the reasons for this may go beyond professing their love for their partner and agreeing to spend the rest of their lives with them.

Brides are a competitive group of people. Many Brides have been wedding planning since they were a little girl, long before they find their “Mr Right”. Each bride hopes their day will be better than any other wedding they have been to. They hope it is unique and memorable, and will dream for years in advance about it.

And yet, despite all of this, most wedding days follow the same pattern and structure:

For your wedding guests the time gaps between the Ceremony and Meal, and the Meal and Evening Entertainment involves a lot of waiting around. Most Brides who plan wedding entertainment, will not go far beyond the traditional Wedding Band or DJ. This generic wedding structure rarely changes much from wedding to wedding, and guests who have attended many previous weddings can now do it in their sleep!

But if you are to have a truly unique, memorable and wonderful wedding day (That stands out from the rest of your friends), you must look beyond this traditional robotic sequence of events. How about spicing things up a little and taking your experienced guests out of their comfort zones? Need to fill the long, boring gaps in the day? There are lots of wedding entertainment ideas which you probably haven’t considered. The quick guide below gives you some ideas of how to avoid the long gaps and gain the competitive edge!

Cocktail Artist – how about hiring a cocktail artist to make your drinks reception unique? A cocktail artist will be able to create exciting drinks for you and your guests to enjoy and will provide an added touch of glamour to your big day. The artist will be able to interact with your guests and put on a show while mixing the cocktails themed with your wedding

Magician- what about having a magician at your wedding to wow and entertain your guests? The magician could mingle with your guests and keep the kids entertained. They may even be a good idea for an ice-breaker for your speeches.

Balloon artist – maybe thank about having a balloon artist? You may not have considered this as an option but balloon artists can be very creative and entertaining. The artist could be particularly useful for keeping the kids amused.

Caricature artist- have you considered a caricature artist? They could create an image in under five minutes which will provide a comical souvenir for your guests. You and your new husband could even have an image done for a more light-hearted representation of you on your big day.

Comedian- I know what you’re thinking, a comedian for my wedding, are you serious? But it may not be as crazy as you think. As long as you get the right one and explain that their act must be tasteful, then a comedian could be a great asset to your wedding reception. They could be used to keep guests entertained before their meal or even as an ice-breaker prior to the speeches.

Starlight LED Dance floor – how about going beyond the simple, traditional dance floor? A starlight dance floor will make your first dance even more special as well as providing your guests with a great place to enjoy the music.

Photo booth – should you use a photo booth to capture some memories of your guests at your wedding? Whilst you are having your professional photographs taken your guests will be kept entertained by posing for their own photos. These however, will be much more light-hearted and will provide you with some fun memories.

Bouncy Castle – how about a bouncy castle to keep the kids entertained? It can be very difficult to keep the kids entertained at a wedding but a bouncy castle may be a good way to do this. Some bigger kids may even want to join in the fun!

We hope we have got you thinking? So, to make your Wedding extra special why not go all out!!

A personal poem from the heart

Anything written by you are touching in their own way. A groom may want to write a poem for his bride about all the things he loved about her – right down to her not being the best singer in the world, but loved to hear her sing as it meant she was happy.  You may have been through tough times, but against all the odds, you made it to the altar and are looking forward to the future together.

Sometimes words are not enough and writing something for a bride who had been told she that only had a short time to live, she may want to write a poem for her groom thanking him for sticking by her, and loving her through tough times. Or writing something to be read at the reception, thanking all their friends and family who helped her to put the wedding together so quickly. This of course can be a very precious keepsake.

Little details make the difference, so in each case try to weave your personal memories and feelings into something that you are proud to deliver, either written down, or read aloud.

How is a poem useful when used in a best man speech?

Poems are incredibly useful when used as best man speeches. Often the best man doesn’t have a lot of public speaking experience and it can be daunting, and so it can be nice to have the rhythm of a poem as something to focus on while they are trying to deliver their speech. Also, for a best man, what they really want to do is be there for their friend in the run up to the wedding, so having a poem to be used as their best man speech frees up their time to really be there for them. Then all they need to do is practice their poem, present on the big day and then sit back and take all the praise for their clever delivery! Perfect!

Best Man poems can contain all the regular things you would put into a best man speech, so humorous tales from the groom’s younger days, and how he met his bride and what his friends think of her, messages from friends who can’t be there and thanks you’s and so on. They can choose to have their full wedding speech as poem, or just a small part, perhaps to be used as the crowning glory and rounding off their speech.

Poems can be presented as gifts in a number of ways, as the main gift where the sentiment is in the words, or as thank you poems for the bridesmaids to go alongside any other little gifts that you may give them. They may want to simply write it into a card, frame it with a photo, record themselves reading it and then share it on YouTube, or have it transcribed into calligraphy.

The benefits of a winter wedding

The number of winter weddings taking place every year is increasing. Although off-season rates are a factor for many couple’s, there are lots of fun reasons to plan your wedding during the winter months. Read on to find out more…

As dusk falls early, you have an extended evening to celebrate. With endless possibilities for candles, fairy lights, and fireworks to light up the night sky, winter weddings are a great excuse to have fun with lights.
Every winter bride dreams of a magical sprinkling of snow. If you get married north of the border, the chance increases even further.
Most wedding venues and suppliers will have off season rates, but many will also provide tempting incentives. Scottish venue Dundas Castle is offering complimentary bubbly, fairy light ceiling, and sparklers to all winter weddings in January and February 2017 as part of its ‘Winter Sparkle’ promotion.
Why not welcome your guests into a venue that has a roaring open fire? You could also reflect on your day with a night cap as the fire crackles – one of the great pleasures of winter weddings.
Winter is full of memorable dates to make your chosen day even more special. You could have a festive Christmas wedding, a romantic Valentine’s weekend wedding, or even start the New Year as you mean to go on – as a married couple.
Fly to the Maldives during Summer, and you’ll hit a monsoon! Winter is southern hemisphere honeymoon season, with no school holiday supplements. The chance to ski or get some much needed winter sun makes it a honeymoon triple whammy!
Getting married in winter totally eliminates ‘Will it? Won’t it?’ weather related stress. Guests will be expecting colder weather, so the focus will be on what’s going on indoors. That way, any snow or winter sun comes as an added bonus.
Your guests may have ‘wedding fatigue’ by the time your summer wedding comes around. A winter wedding will be a seasonal highlight too. This gives you and your guests a great excuse for a post-Christmas knees up.
Winter is still low season, making getting your ideal Saturday date a breeze. It’s also much easier finding accommodation for your guests, or bagging your dream photographer or wedding band.
Last but surely not least, a winter wedding is your chance to sport some stylish bridal wellies. If you’re less adventurous, winter offers a plethora of clothing options. Why not go for fake fur, feathers and capes to tempt the fashion conscious.

How to choose the right music

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?

Getting the right music for the right moment

The atmosphere on your wedding day is going to change at different times, so choosing appropriate music is crucial when planning a wedding.

When you’re in the ceremony, it’s likely to be more formal and serious. After all, you’re getting legally married and that’s a big deal. One the legal proceedings have finished then mood will change to be much more light-hearted.

At your wedding reception, there’s an atmosphere of anticipation. Everybody is looking forward to enjoying themselves and catching up with old friends and meeting new people. This all means that you need to consider what music you should play at your wedding quite carefully. Most importantly, you need to consider just who you have invited to your wedding and their age ranges.

Different music for different times

The ceremony

If you’re having a church wedding, you need to think about the hymns. You may have some favourites and it’s always good to have a well-known hymn so that everybody can join in.

If you’re having a civil ceremony, opt for some soft and romantic music to walk down the aisle too. Please be aware that your registrar will need to check the pieces you’ve chosen because you’re not allowed any religious connotations in the music.

The wedding breakfast

When your guests are arriving for the wedding breakfast you should create a cool, sophisticated atmosphere to welcome guests. A string quartet or harpist playing softly in the background are perfect for creating the right mood.

When you brief your musicians, let them know if you have any favourites you want them to include and think about popular classics that your guests will know. If you’re not very familiar with classical music, then ask the musicians what they recommend, or see if they can play instrumental versions of your favourite songs.

The evening reception

When the speeches are done its party time. Some people will want to let their hair down and dance the night away, others will want to gossip at the table and hear the latest news from people they haven’t seen for a while. Kids will want to join in the fun too and at some point and eventually you may want to introduce a romantic atmosphere and enjoy your first dance together.

Brief your entertainment

Whether you’re having a live band, a DJ, or maybe even both, you need to look at your guest list very carefully and split up everybody into age groups. You might be a fan of Kanye West but it’s unlikely that your Grandma is.

If you’ve chosen an experienced DJ or a band, ask them what their favourite floor fillers are. The oldies might enjoy The Beatles or The Rolling Stones, others might love Seventies’ sounds, or a bit of Duran Duran. It may not be entirely your cup of tea but at the end of the day you want to keep your guests happy.

As for the teenagers and young adults, think about current chart-toppers that will get them on the floor dancing.

You might like to also think about the impact that Strictly Come Dancing has made. It’s inspired some couples to take up ballroom dancing lessons and your grandparents might surprise you by how good they are at dancing! So consider having a classic waltz, quickstep or even tango included on the playlist. Some couples love to show off their footwork.

Make sure the DJ plays what you want, not what they want to play. Get your music right and you’ll have an amazing atmosphere at your wedding reception and a crowded dance floor, which is just what you’re aiming for really, isn’t it?

How to keep the youngsters entertained

Interactive entertainment

It’s always a great idea to have a separate room for entertaining children at weddings. Bring in the professionals who will keep them engaged with activities like crafts, storytelling and fun games.

Movie room

When the evening party is starting but it’s still too early for the little ones to go to bed, set up a movie room with a ‘midnight feast’ (just not at midnight!). Get the kids into their pyjamas and create a cosy area with lots of cushions and you’ll be sure not to hear a peep from them until bedtime. 

Funny faces

A face painter is a great way to keep the children entertained. They can be set up in the corner discreetly and you can give the children a number to avoid them waiting in line. This is a fun activity which is suitable for every wedding venue from country houses to marquees.

Mini disco

Children love to dance, so how about a mini disco set up with an entertainer playing fun dancing games? You can get props and prizes involved and even judge a dance competition. Maybe the winner could have a dance with the bride? 

Activity packs

Colouring or sticker books and puzzles will go down a treat. You could even include a drawing competition, such as a ‘bride and groom portrait competition’ with prizes!

Little helpers

Your youngest guests will look super sweet acting as mini ushers, welcoming the other guests and giving out orders of service. Or maybe you can give them the responsibility of scattering the confetti?

Craft table

Choose crafts that will take them a while, such as T-shirt decorating or treasure box making. Make sure you have responsible adults to oversee the activities, especially if there are scissors involved!

There are loads of great ways to keep kids entertained on your big day, these are just a few of our favourites, and are so easily organised at any venue!

Kew a beautiful Wedding venue

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

Traditions explained

There are lots of weird and wonderful wedding day traditions – plans for your wedding day might include a few ancient superstitions to avoid bringing ‘bad luck’ without you even realising! Here are a couple you might not know about…

One of the most familiar superstitions is that it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding ceremony. This one isn’t such a romantic tradition – it originated in a time when arranged marriages were common, and seeing each other was more likely to result in one or both parties doing a runner!

Rain on your wedding day is thought to be unlucky – not only for the soggy guests, but the rest of the marriage too! However, it is considered good luck for a bride to meet a spider, chimney sweep or black cat on her way to the wedding ceremony.

Have you ever wondered why the groom carries his new bride over the threshold? In medieval Europe, it was believed that evil spirits might make their way into the house through the soles of the bride’s feet!

Much of the bride’s outfit has been based upon superstitions, including a white dress to signify virginity and purity. Some think that a sugar cube in your glove will sweeten your union, whilst almost every bride knows the traditional poem, ‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’.

Wearing ‘something old’ is meant to represent the life that the bride is leaving behind, while the ‘something new’ represents her new life as a married woman. The ‘something borrowed’ should come from someone who has had a long and happy marriage, and blue is meant to symbolise purity, fidelity and love.

The final part of the poem is ‘and a silver sixpence in her shoe’. Traditionally the bride’s father would slip a sixpence coin into his daughter’s left shoe on the way to the altar, to bring luck and wish the happy couple a long and prosperous life together. Today, you can buy special wedding sixpences to recreate this tradition.

For many years it was also tradition for the bride and groom to give each other gold and silver coins after exchanging rings, and this act is recorded in the first book of common prayer published in 1549. Gold Sovereign coins and silver Britannia coins are a perfect way to observe that tradition today.

Common bridal hair mistakes

It’s supposed to be the happiest day of your life. As the bride, you’ll be the centre of attention, and not only will your friends and family be present, but your photographs will capture the moment forever. On the big day, you want to look like yourself, only better. There’s nothing worse than a bride wearing a gorgeous gown, in the perfect location, whose hair is so dreadful that guests can’t keep their eyes off of it. 

Brides should always have a consultation with the stylist who will be doing their hair one to two months before the wedding date to ensure that their dream hairstyle fits in with their dream day. 

Here are 10 common hair mistakes that brides make.

1. You forget your veil or headpiece. The veil factors into your overall look, and its length and style may determine if you’ll want to wear your hair up or down. If the veil hasn’t arrived yet, ask the bridal salon to loan you a sample, or at least bring along a photo when consulting with your wedding hairdresser.

2. You cut your hair days before the wedding. Stay away from the scissors and don’t plan on getting a haircut right before the big day. Instead, do it a month or two prior to the wedding to ensure that you like the cut and it will work with the hairstyle you’ve chosen.

3. You don’t carefully choose your stylist. You will remember your wedding day forever, so choose someone you trust to style your hair. If your hairdresser doesn’t typically do wedding hairstyles, ask him or her for a recommendation, or speak with friends or other brides who have had hairstyles you’ve admired.

4. You experiment with hair colour. Talk to your stylist about how you envision your hair on the big day, and let your colourist know if you are planning on wearing your hair up or down. It’s also not advisable to dramatically change your hair colour before the wedding. You want to look like an enhanced version of you, not someone completely different. 

5. You only try one style. Just as you tried on several wedding dresses (even if you knew the first one was the best), have your stylist show you at least three different looks based on your description of what you want.

6. You go to your consultation without any ideas. Pictures speak louder than words. Gather photos of brides hairstyles you like. This will give the stylist an idea of the kind of style you’re seeking. The stylist can’t make you look like the person in the picture, but he or she can attempt to copy the hair as long as the texture and length are not an issue.

7. You forget about touch-ups. If it’s in your budget, consider having the stylist stay after the ceremony and throughout the evening to do touch-ups to your hair—or even give you a completely different look. If the expense is too high, ask the stylist for tips on how to touch up your own hair during the reception.

8. You forget about the dress. Your hair should always complement your gown. Select your gown first and then decide on the hairstyle with your stylist.

9. You think short hair is your only option. If your cute bob doesn’t jive with your dream of having long locks on the big day, ask your stylist for extensions. This temporary fix can be a perfect solution.

10. You forget about the groom. Although you’ll be the focus of the big day, you will want his hair to look just as good. Make sure the groom gets a good haircut a week before the wedding. 

How to include your Mum in the ceremony

Mums teach us a lot. They’re by our sides through thick and thin, and, with any luck, have been the major helping hand in many of life’s biggest moments like planning a wedding. Sometimes it seems near impossible to pay Mum back for all her love and support, but she is your Mum. And because she’s your Mum, we guarantee she’ll be as pleased as punch from even the smallest of gestures. 

1. Have her walk you down the aisle!

Don’t think you need to find a male replacement for that Moment if Dad’s no longer in your life then the perfect choice will be your Mum, or if Dad is still around why not have both parents walking you down the aisle?

2. Give her a flower before the altar. 

Dad still doing the giving away? Take a Moment before you step onto the altar to give your mother a flower from your bouquet. Purposefully singling her out right before you say your vows will show her (and everyone in attendance) how crucial her support has been in getting you there. The gesture will become even more special if you tuck one of her favourite blooms into your bouquet and present her with that. 

3. Set aside a space dedicated to her memory. 

If your mother has since passed, place a framed photo of her and her favourite flowers on the chair where she would have sat.

4. Include Mum in the getting ready fun. 

Book her a seat next to yours while you and your bridesmaids are getting your hair and makeup done. Involving her in this girls-only tradition will let her know that you see her as a friend and confidant, which is the ultimate compliment.

5. Recreate a moment from her wedding day. 

Sort through Mum’s wedding pics and select a photo you find particularly striking. Surprise her by bringing the shot to your wedding and recreating the pose with your photographer—we guarantee she’ll be touched by the gesture.