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Mad Hatter Wedding ideas

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Invitations

The maddest guests needn’t be invited, they will simply fall through the rabbit hole and stumble across your party by chance.

 

Dress code

Colourful, bold and avant-garde.

 

Hair code

No one is allowed to have similarities in wedding hair colour or style, other than that, anything goes.

 

Wedding Décor

Matching furniture is forbidden; the more quintessentially Wonderland, the better.

 

Guests

Be specific when choosing your guests based on personality, if they aren’t at least slightly crazy, they won’t fit in.

 

Tea

Earl Grey is the only tea to be served. It needn’t be high quality and can be of any origin, just make sure it’s Early Grey.

 

Sandwiches

There are three sandwiches which are appropriate for a Mad Hatters Tea Party; minted cucumber, egg mayonnaise and mustard cress, and smoked salmon and cream cheese. Cutting your sandwiches into heart shapes is cute, but would Alice approve of your allegiance to the Queen of Hearts?

 

The Chelsea Bun

The Chelsea bun is known predominantly for throwing, so get involved, it’s what Tea Parties are made for.

 

Shortbread

Height should not be discriminated against; therefore, shortbread is totally acceptable at the tea table.

 

Floristry

Wedding flowers perfection should be avoided at all costs. If you have a budget for plants, stick to twigs, decaying leaves and fungi.

 

Hospitality

Being hospitable is essential. This can be achieved through planning a range of unrecognisable party games.

 

Weather

If you’re worried about being outside and it raining, it doesn’t matter too much as the best Mad Hatters Tea Parties are set in very little sunlight. For big budget tea parties, rain and mist machines are encouraged.

 

Seating

If you can’t get bums on seats, bums on anything is fine. Stools, shelves, giant mushrooms; anything goes.

 

Cheshire cat

One ginger cat is required as ‘purr’ its Cheshire heritage.

 

Timekeeping

This is banned as there is no time in wonderland. However, we would only suggest this tip as optional as if adhered to it can cause havoc, after all, you don’t want your guests to be late for this very important date.

Just chill!

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Keep calm and marry on! Wave farewell to wedding worries with these six steps. Wedding day nerves may be natural, but that doesn’t make them nice. Planning a wedding certainly hits the nerves, these are the commandments to wed by if you want to keep those niggling thoughts at bay. You’ve got this!

Between friends

For many brides, the moment you walk down the aisle is like marmite – you either love the idea or are filled with nervous dread. All eyes will be on you, but remember that they are those of friends and family. Your guests are all there to wish you well and to celebrate your marriage, and definitely not to be critical. Try to keep this in mind.

And if you’re worried about tripping? Don’t be. You’ve got someone’s arm there for physical support, you’ll be walking slowly, and your dress has already been altered for the perfect fit. You’ve got nothing to worry about.

Forgo formalities

If familiar faces don’t still your nerves, then consider forgoing some of the formalities that might make you unnecessarily anxious. If either of you can’t bear to be the centre of attention, ditch the speeches and receiving line, perhaps even the top table, to relax things. Round tables will be more convivial and prevent you from feeling on show during the wedding breakfast. Your conversation can then flow as freely as the Champagne, without any pressures, and you can stop and say a few words if and when you please.

Sharing is caring

If people don’t know what you’re feeling, they won’t always be able to help, so be sure to tell them. This applies both during the run up and on the day. Are you nervous? Stressed? Excited? Tearful? You’d be surprised how much just saying it out loud will help. When the day comes, remember that you’ll be surrounded by the people that you love the most and who love you in return – we bet they’ll be able to keep you smiling and feeling steady.

Mind over matter

Maintain this mantra for all elements of your wedding, through the wedding planning to the day itself. You can practise mindfulness techniques to keep your head happy and clear. It can be as simple as focussing on taking slow, deep breaths for a few minutes or pausing to acknowledge the things that make you happy each day.

It’s about being aware of each moment and not wrapped up in other worries. Try these techniques at night for better sleep, and, if you’re still struggling to switch off, grab a sleep-nourishing pillow mist to spritz over your cushions just before you turn in.

What wedding?

Yes, you might have a lot to do to put your wedding together, but you absolutely must make time for other things. Plan date nights, dinner with friends, girly nights in or out. Don’t let every minute, conversation or social visit become about your wedding otherwise it will consume you. Make sure exercise is part of your schedule too for a happy and healthy you – yoga will be especially good for clearing your mind and aiding relaxation.

 

All inclusive Wedding packages

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No time to plan the wedding of your dreams? By far the easiest option for busy modern brides is the all-inclusive package where all the big things like wedding venues, Champagne reception, wedding food,, and wedding entertainment are all taken care of.

And just because everything is included in one handy price, it doesn’t mean that you can’t personalise your big day.

Here are a few other reasons that couples love all-inclusive wedding packages…

1. It’ll take the pressure off

The logistics of planning can be very stressful even for the most relaxed couple so finding a venue that offers so many of the required services in-house, from your wedding ceremony to your evening entertainment, will really ease the pressure and free up your time for the all-important dress and honeymoon shopping!

2. You’ll have your own wedding planner

In-house wedding planners are another big hit at our venues and every package we put together comes complete with a personal Front of House Manager to listen to ideas and ensure the day goes perfectly to plan.

3. Your overnight stay is included

Most of  brides and grooms choose to take bedrooms and a bridal suite for the night before and night of their wedding. It is such a lovely touch to have everybody in the same place for the duration of the wedding, spending quality time together.

4. You’ll get the best catering options

The issue of finding wedding suppliers can be a big challenge in wedding planning with caterers and alcohol being the most difficult ones to choose and source. Wedding packages include all the food and drink you need- from Champagne and canapes to midnight munchies and everything in between.

5. The whole day will be in one place

All venues offer the complete package in one place, the ceremony, the reception, the evening party and bedrooms- there is no need for wedding cars and no time wasted moving between venues so the whole party can just relax and enjoy the day!”

6. You’ll get expert advice

Years of experience mean that wedding planners are on top of the latest trends and can include these in our all-inclusive wedding packages to make planning even easier – from wedding stationery to favours and gifts for your wedding party.

7. There are no hidden costs

Finally, and perhaps most importantly wedding packages are very clear and agree all costs at the initial booking stage so you know exactly what they will be – there are no hidden extras – just fantastic wedding days tailored to you to create memories that last a lifetime.”

 

Look radiant on your Wedding day

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You’re going to want to look your most beautiful on your wedding day and you’ll want your groom to gasp as he sees you arrive. To help you achieve this we’ve asked some top beauty experts and wedding make-up artists for their advice. Because you don’t want to be making any mistakes with your big day look.

Natural beauty

Try all your wedding makeup on before your wedding day and view it in natural daylight, make-up can look very different indoors and outdoors. Wear waterproof eye make-up where possible, especially mascara for the emotional I Dos!

A good foundation

Have your foundation colour matched to your skin tone and bear that in mind if you’re having a spray tan for the big day. Moisturise your face 30 minutes before applying your makeup, to allow time for your moisturiser to sink in and do its magic.

Always wear a primer before applying foundation to give a smoother appearance and keep your makeup on for longer. Also always wear an eye make-up primer to hold your eyeshadow in place and prevent creasing. Keep a small powder compact to hand to touch up any shiny areas towards the evening.

Set in place

Use a setting spray when your makeup is finished to give it lasting power. If applying your own make-up on the day, try to have a professional go through it with you before the big day, to show you how to do the best application.

Look after your skin

Begin a good skincare routine. If you have any issues book a series of facials to get your skin in tip top condition. Get a skin consultation with a professional so they can advise you on which products will suit your skin type.

Use an SPF daily to protect your skin from the sun and keep shoulders covered if you’re wearing a strapless dress on your wedding day as strap marks are difficult to hide.

 

Personal wedding venues

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With so much pressure to make the right decision, how does a bride make up her mind? We asked some newlyweds and brides to be to share how they made their choice to shed a little light on this planning selection. These answers which may inspire you:

  • “We visited our wedding venue on a holiday before we got engaged and we both said, ‘That’s the place we want to get married.’ We got engaged there and now we’re marrying there next September!”

  • “We picked an area where we had our first kiss and it held so many sentimental memories for us too, we just had to get married in a place that meant so much to us”

  • “I picked a place that was not only cost-efficient, but when I went to see it, I knew that it was unique and I had it have it. I love my venue and I absolutely can’t wait to get married there!”

  • “We wanted ceremony and reception in the same location, so we saw a few venues, but nothing said ‘us’ that was a romantic setting until we saw our venue. It’s perfect and I can’t wait to get married there. It’s my happy place, we both love it.”

  • “We must’ve seen over 40 venues. We choose Disney because we fell in love with it! And, well we got some pretty amazing pictures.”

  • “My grandparents’ garden where I had pretty much grown up. It had so many memories and sentimental reasons to have my wedding where I grew up and learned so much.”

 

We hope that some of these ideas have inspired you to find your perfect wedding venue, just make it personal, after all this is a special day which you will want to remember for the right reasons!!

 

Should you invite work colleagues?

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When planning a wedding, the age old question of what to do about inviting work colleagues to your wedding is one that troubles many engaged couples time and time again. For most of us, we spend a lot of time around our work colleagues and have grown a close relationship with a number of them, but there is often others you may not be as close to for one reason or another. So how do you strike the balance between inviting who you want to without inadvertently offending the others?

So when it comes to your wedding day, is there a particular party you agree with or are you still a little confused on the right way to do things?  The first thing you need to think about is that there are no rules, just common sense in relation to the work situation you personally have. Only you will really know what is acceptable in your workplace but here are a few things to consider…

Think about the size of your office

Do you work for a large corporate or a smaller regional office, shop or start up? Have a think about the dynamics in your workplace and how closely you work alongside your colleagues. If the whole company works in real proximity to one another, it makes sense to not just exclude one or two people from proceedings but if you work solely in a team that is one of many, then perhaps consider just inviting your team and your boss. As we say, it’s common sense so just assess the situation appropriately.

Remember, they don’t need to come for the whole wedding

If you’re worried from a budget and space point of view, then there is absolutely no harm in just inviting them to the wedding entertainment evening do. Again, if there are some colleagues you are closer to than others, then invite them to the ceremony and reception and then make it a more open invite to the others for the evening after dinner and speeches.

Consider whether your office is formal and traditional

Traditionally in larger and more corporate companies it is generally expected that you will invite your boss or bosses, especially if you are inviting your co-workers. If you know your office is a lot more relaxed, then again assess the situation and think about how close work in relation to your boss on a day to day basis.

Ask around to see what others did

Hopefully for you, there will be people who have got married before you in the office who you can quiz on what they did. If there is a recurring theme of whether they invited everyone or just a very selective few, then consider following suit.

They’ll probably need a plus one

If your work colleague is married, engaged or in a long term relationship, then it’s likely they’ll need to have a plus one. Again this is entirely up to you but if you are offering plus ones to the rest of your guests, it makes sense that they should have one too.

If you choose to be selective, don’t shout about it

It is totally okay to choose just a few colleagues and many people do, so you shouldn’t feel guilty about it. But if you’re going to do so – don’t make your wedding a common topic of conversation in the office, especially if there’s just one or two people you’re not inviting. You want to be as subtle as possible to avoid getting people’s feelings hurt.

Research your Photographers

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Have you been looking for wedding photographers but feel overwhelmed because there are so many options and so many styles?

Or, maybe you’ve dreamed about being a wedding photographer but aren’t sure how to push fear to the sidelines, take that leap of faith and turn your hobby into a full-time career.

What To Ask A Wedding Photographer

 

  1. Cost is almost always a concern, but it’s not the most important element to your decision. Find out how much the photographer charges for different packages and prints.

  2. Find out how long the photographer has been in business.

  3. Do you actually like the photographer and can you spend the day with the photographer you’re considering hire?

  4. What kind of experience do they have – the longer they’re in business doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best choice for you.

  5. What contingency plan does your wedding photographer have in place in case something goes wrong?

  6. Ask to look at group photos to ensure all the guests are smiling and laughing, because it’s usually the photographer that makes them smile so you want to know what kind of rapport they will build with you AND your guests.

If you spend a little more time finding the right wedding photographer, it will be well worth it in the end.

Make your wedding personal to you

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1. Play Party Games

How about the menus being puzzles, so each person got one piece of the puzzle at their place setting, then everyone had to put the pieces together to get the full menu description. Crossword puzzles are fun for the back of a program or if you have guests going on a long bus ride to get to the reception venue.

2. Walk Down Memory Lane

Make the guest feel like integral parts of the day by incorporating them into the wedding design — in a gallery of meaningful photos. Why not hang pictures of the bride and groom with friends and family along the walk from the ceremony to the reception. It’s a fun cocktail party conversation starter.” As guests take a leisurely stroll and find pictures of themselves with you, they can reminisce and socialize.

3. Break the Ice Creatively

When you enter your reception for the first time as husband and wife, don’t just take a conventional arm-in-arm stroll. “Run. Skip. Dance. Swoop in on a rope swing! Brainstorm with your groom about the most creative, appropriate way to make a big impression. This is a great way to break the ice and set up for a fun vibe for the rest of the event.

4. Be Entertaining

Guests always love the energy of a live band but tend to want to hear the original artist sing their favourite tunes. As a compromise, a bride may hire a dance band but also play DJ music during the breaks, or she’ll arrange to have live music during some parts of the event and recorded music during others.

5. Love Poems.

Love poems from a book makes a wonderful, lasting guest favour that’s much more meaningful that a bag of sugared almonds! If you buy in bulk, you might get a discount — contact your bookseller directly. And don’t forget to add a personalized bookmark thanking your friends and family for sharing your big day with you.”

Organise your seating plan

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If you’re having 50 guests at a buffet, you may or may not want to give people specific seating assignments. But if you’re having 100 guests or more and serving a seated meal at your Wedding venue, you’ll want to make sure everyone’s got a specific place to sit. Why? For one, people like to know where they’re sitting — and that you took the time to choose where and whom they should sit with. It’s also helpful if you’re serving several different entree choices, because the caterer and wait staff can figure out beforehand how many chicken, filet and veggie dishes a given table gets, because they (you) know who’s sitting there.

Head Up the Head Table

A traditional head table is not round but long and straight,when planning a wedding it’s generally set up along a wall, facing all the other reception tables. It may even have two tiers if your wedding party is large. Usually the bride and groom sit in the middle (where everyone can see them), with the maid of honour next to the groom, the best man next to the bride, and then boy/girl out from there. Flower girls or ring bearers usually sit at the tables where their parents are sitting, much to the relief of the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Decide to sit this way, or plan a sweetheart table for a little one-on-one time

Create a Paper Trail

If you’re feeling more low-tech, draw circles (for tables) on a big sheet of paper and write names inside them (make sure you know how many people can comfortably be seated at each one). Or you could write every guest’s name on a sticky note and place it accordingly.

Switch Things Up

But you don’t have to do it that way. All the bridesmaids can sit on the bride’s side, and all the groomsmen on the groom’s. Or maybe you’re not into being on display, or you don’t want your wedding party to feel isolated from other guests. Let your wedding party sit at a round reception table or two with each other and/or with their dates/significant others, and have the head table be a sweetheart table for the two of you.Another option: You two sit with your parents and let that be the head table, with the wedding party at their own tables.

Place Your Parents

Traditionally, your parents and your parents to be sit at the same table, along with grandparents, siblings not in the wedding party, but for one reason or another you might want to let each set of parents host their own table of close family and/or friends. This could mean up to four parents’ tables, depending on your situation — or have the divorced parent who raised you (or your partner) and his/her spouse/date sit at the table with still-married parents.

Remember, the parent-seating question is a flexible one. Set it up in whatever way best suits everybody. If you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to talk to the parents in question about it before you make your final decision.

Play Matchmaker

Again, all your University or school friends will be so pleased to sit at a table together. This especially works out well if you and your beloved went to the same school and have the same friends. It also gives them all an opportunity to catch up with each other, because they may not have seen each other for a while. But again — reception tables offer a great opportunity to mix and match your friends and your partners — who knows who’ll hit it off? Consider seating friends who don’t know each other (yet), but who you think will get along exceptionally well, at the same table — and the rest is history. It can’t hurt!

Tame Tensions

There may also be situations in which certain family members just do not get along. Maybe they haven’t spoken in years. Maybe the last time they saw each other there was a drunken catfight. Understandably, you want to keep them as far apart as possible. Think about these kinds of relationships (or lack thereof) before you even start making your chart, so you can take them into consideration in the first place and begin by seating Auntie Sue at table three and Aunt Vera across the room at table 15. Trust us — they’ll appreciate it.

Why you should have a photo booth

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They’re Great Fun

It seems like an obvious thing to state when hiring wedding entertainment – all of it is fun! – but a photo booth will give you more fun than many other forms of entertainment through the sheer amount of silliness and laughter you’ll hear coming from the booth over the course of your wedding evening. It’s not a singular activity and people tend to visit the booth in large groups for a photo. Upon seeing the props available for their snap, even the most camera shy love to get involved as you take your four photos. And that fun and laughter we mentioned? It keeps other people at your wedding interested in the booth as well.

The Guest Book

Perhaps the main reason to have a photo booth at your wedding is for the guest book that comes with it. Once your wedding is over and upon return from your honeymoon, you’ll finally be able to have a look through your photo booth guest book and take in the photos. If pressed to write a message, many guests might struggle to know what to say but when delivered in the form of a photo that can be captioned, you’ll find some truly lovely thoughts from your nearest and dearest. Friends and family alike will have contribute to a unique wedding gift that you can treasure for the rest of your lives.

The Wedding Photographer Can’t Photo Everyone

A great reason to hire a photo booth for an evening and one of the main points as to why it’s a must have at your wedding is because wedding photographers simply can’t photograph everybody in attendance. Some don’t like to be photographed for whatever reason whilst others might just keep missing the photographer as they come round. With a photo booth though, you can rest assured that you’ll have at least one snap of your guests to enjoy. Sure, they’ll probably be sporting ridiculous fluorescent glasses or have a random bowling pin in their hand, but at least you’ll have a photo!

 

Memories forever.

Perhaps the number one reason for having a photo booth at your wedding (and in fact, the number one reason for doing anything at all in life) is the happy memories that it creates. Not only do wedding guests create photos for your guest book but they receive a strip of their photos as well. They could even send a digital copy to their email address if they so desire. So many people will see these photos over the next few years and so many people will ask questions as to where it was taken. Your wedding will live long in the memory thanks to just a few photos taken at a photo booth. They really are a wonderful addition to your wedding day.