As well as general wedding planning chat, this week’s theme is ‘Changing your name’ – if, how, what, where and when! #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 1: Decide if one or both will change surname when married. Who’s surname to take? Double barrel? Mesh? Brand new? #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 2: Legally you can use any name but to use new name on documents you need marriage certificate or deed poll to prove it #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 3: Can change passport before wedding (but can wait until it expires) – just remember name on tickets must match name on passport #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 4: Must change name on driving licence asap to avoid a fine – its free #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 5: Update your details on electoral roll so you can still vote #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 6: Should be free to update your details with banks, utility companies, employers, doctors, dentist, sports clubs, loyalty cards etc #UKWedLunch
This place definitely has curb appeal. From first impressions you’d be forgiven in thinking it is a quaint looking pub set in an idyllic and remote Oxfordshire village. The traditional Cotswold stone buildings don’t disappoint but make sure you don’t judge a book solely by its cover, as this place is like a tardis and is expansive behind that initial beautiful façade.
What sprawls behind is a maze of wonder and great possibilities. A 5 star country inn set on the River Windrush surrounded by 65 acres of Cotswold wildflower meadows and riverside gardens. This is a destination to get away from the hectic, crowded city to a stunning and tranquil setting.
The river meanders effortlessly through the extensive grounds passing peaceful locations to trek to and discover: a disused boat house, bridges, tree swings and deckchairs along the riverbank. With fields to hold a festival style wedding , space to put up a marquee and a renovated barn for your evening reception.
You’d not be surprised to find Mole or Ratty scurrying along as the setting conjures up scenes from the Wind in the Willows with ease. You could relax in a riverside room with an outdoor fire pit on a private terrace. Plus there’s plenty of nooks and crannies for people to explore and retreat.
There’s an abundance of ways to enjoy the surroundings including rods to fish, tennis courts, a croquet lawn and even quirky duck races between bridges that people often incorporate in to their wedding day here. And some couples have sentimentally planted trees or roses in the grounds to mark their big day.
The river culminates alongside the beautiful Temple Garden, one of many places you can choose to hold your wedding ceremony. Complete with love seats and an amazing backdrop of a splendid willow tree draping it’s branches in to the river, flowing on it’s way to join the River Thames.
Inside doesn’t disappoint either with it’s grand, original Cotswold stone fireplaces dark wood, rich red upholstery and warm open fireplaces.
But this place isn’t stuck in the past, it is bang up to date with it’s eco outlook on recycling and even has it’s own turbo screw to power part of the venue. It also has a brand spanking new spa where you and your guests can unwind and get pampered. Plus there’s superb fresh local food and outstanding service. Which makes this a brilliant place to get married as it can be all encompassing – you can stay all weekend with your guests if you like!
It won’t appeal to all budgets nor all sizes of guest lists as this is an intimate wedding venue where you’ll be spoilt and can celebrate in style and luxury.
It’s versatile, tranquil, peaceful, relaxing, and so personal. There’s lots of options and locations within this venue to consider: restored barn, outside temple, marquee in magical gardens, inside historic reception rooms. It’s no wonder you’d want to stay the whole weekend to make sure you have time to enjoy the whole site!
WEDDING VENUE FACTS Type of venue: hotel Find out more:http://www.oldswanminstermill.co.uk/ Location: Minster Lovell, near Witney, OX29 0RN Wedding season: all year (except Christmas Day) Guests (ceremony): 50 Guests (sit down meal): 50 in Minster Room Guests (evening): 80 in Malthouse Marquee option: 120-150 Ceremony: Licensed inside and outside £750 Nearest church: St Kenelm’s, Minster Lovell (0.4 miles) Wedding breakfast: packages from £110pp to £225pp Accommodation: 52 rooms & cottage from £185pp to £450pp Wedding fairs: Open Evenings throughout the year | Wedding Fairs in spring and winter Other things worth a mention: their delicious home made fudge, honey made by Minster bees and it has some dog friendly rooms
“I loved every moment of working with Hanami Dream, [with] Nicola’s creativity mixed with her laid back approach to the styled shoot at the Old Swan and Minster Mill.
She made me feel as though ‘no’ was never an answer and threw passion and spark into every aspect of the shoot!
I am really proud of what we achieved in such a short space of time and look forward to seeing what the future brings for Hanami Dream.”
As well as general wedding planning chat, this week’s theme is ‘finding the right stationery for your budget’ – what things affect pricing? Thanks to Paper Tree Design #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 1: Differences in service, technique and embellishments are what makes your stationery either basic or premium #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 2: Level of service will effect pricing: the more bespoke and more time spent making it will make it expensive #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 3: Weight (thickness), texture and finish of card will affect how much it costs, as well as how it’s printed #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 4: For every finish (especially ones done by hand) you add cost: hot foil, spot vanish, embossing, paper cut, trims (ribbon, twins, crystals etc) #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 5: DIY or stationery in kit form will save on price – get wedding party to help make them together #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 6: Buy in bulk – think about all your stationery in one go from the outset rather than separate pieces at different times #UKWedLunch
A topic very close to my heart (and sweet tooth) is cake!
Photography by Farrow Photography www.farrowphotography.com
When it comes to weddings, cakes are often the focal point of the wedding reception – proudly displayed, incorporating themes and colour schemes of the day, and featured in one of the main staged events of the day – culminating in a great photo opportunity when it formally gets cut.
There are many elements of a wedding that are steeped in tradition, superstition and symbolism. Here I unravel a little behind why wedding cakes are included in the festivities and then The Pretty Cake Company give their advice for the perfect ‘recipe’ to get the wedding cake of your dreams.
Even though some couples are picking alternatives to the humble wedding cake (such as ‘cheese’ cakes, cupcakes, giant porkpies, quiches tiers and pancake stacks to name a few), the evolution of this wedding element is nothing new as it’s seen many guises over the years including bread rolls and pie.
The custom originally dates back to Roman and Medieval times when bread would’ve been thrown at the bride. Thankfully this developed into the breaking of the bread over the head (symbolizing the bride losing her virginity).
Over time this progressed into guests bringing baked goods to the wedding and piling them up as high as possible. The couple would try and kiss over this high cake without it falling over and were deemed to have good fortune if they were successful. Not content with the instability of a baked goods stack, one clever baker came up with the idea of sticking the rolls together and the Croquembouche was born.
Today’s traditional wedding cakes have a rich fruit cake (a sign of fertility), often a gorgeous layer of marzipan (that I can’t get enough of! ) and white fondant icing. The white colour of the bride’s cake was again a sign of purity and also one of wealth as fine white sugar would’ve been expensive back in the day. The whiter the cake the wealthier you were plus the number of tiers showed extravagance too (although often some tiers could be fake ones to save money!) Plus an alternative ‘darker’ groom’s cake alongside (perhaps in chocolate).
Photography by Farrow Photography www.farrowphotography.com
Traditionally, the cutting of the cake (as well as being a staple photo opportunity) was done by the bride on her own (to symbolize losing her virginity) and she would hand out the cake to ensure fertility. Nowadays it is the first task performed together as a married couple. Some couples feed each other the first slice as a sign of commitment (or smash it in each others’ faces if you’re feeling cheeky!)
With the bottom tier for cutting, the middle tier for sharing, the top tier is often saved for the first anniversary or christening.
Meanwhile, symbolic charms placed in the cake attached to ribbons can be pulled out by the bridesmaids to predict their fortunes. Plus it was thought that single people who slept with a slice of the wedding cake under their pillow would dream of their future spouse.
There is so much tradition and choices to call upon to create your wedding cake and this element continues to evolve with emerging geode cut out cakes, crystalling detail, food walls and even wedding cakes with image projections on them. Take a look at some of my other trend predictions too.
Here are some top tips from the incredibly talented Samantha from The Pretty Cake Company with a cake designer’s insight into picking your cake and a look at current wedding cake trends to consider.
The wedding cake will be the most prominent centrepiece of your wedding reception with the potential to be a highly decorative work of art. So deciding on what form your wedding cake should take, is one that should be given very careful consideration.
An average wedding cake now is upwards of £500 and can go into the thousands, so your requirements will dictate your budget. The costing is primarily dependent on three things, size, flavour and decoration.
SIZE
When contacting cake designers it’s important to give as much information as possible. Give your anticipated guest number as this will allow the cake designer to work out what size tiers would be most appropriate. If you would like to reserve the top fruitcake tier for a first anniversary or christening then do mention that as well.
I have had clients in the past who want very tall grand wedding cakes, but not necessarily all the cake that would come with it, so think about the option of using polystyrene dummies to add extra tiers as this would help reduce the cost.
FLAVOUR
Simple sponges such as vanilla and lemon tend to be the cheapest with other most popular flavours such as chocolate, carrot and fruitcake, being more expensive due to the ingredients cost and increased time taken to make them.
Ask your cake designer what other flavours they could suggest as other flavours can often be made by adapting existing basic recipes. Other popular flavours that I have done in the past are coffee and walnut, orange and almond, lime and passion fruit, toffee and salted caramel, champagne and strawberry, but with lots of good quality flavouring extracts on the market, it’s very simple to come up with some more original suggestions.
Sometimes you can make a simple flavour more exciting by simply making the filling a bit more interesting, like lemon cake with a passionfruit curd buttercream or chocolate with a salted caramel buttercream.
DECORATION
Decoration is by far the most influential part of costing the cake as this is what takes the most time and requires the most skill. Things like sugar flowers, texture work and intricate pipework on the cake, can take several hours and sometimes days, so if you are on a budget, then maybe try and avoid these.
dusty pink rose details on wedding cake
detail shot of dusty pink sugar roses and ribbon on wedding cake
close up of filigree and dusty pink sugar rose on wedding cake
Here’s the ‘recipe’ to get the wedding cake of your dreams:
1. CONSULTATION
Check with your cake maker if they offer a face to face consultation, if there is a charge for it and whether cake samples would be available for tasting. It’s important that you have confidence in your cake maker and that the cakes will taste as good as they look. Some companies do charge for consultations, which might be deductible from the cost if you book.
2. EXPERIENCE
Most reputable cake makers will have a strong portfolio of their work which will be further substantiated with websites, social media pages and recommendations from previous clients and local venues. Do your research beforehand and choose a cake maker that has experience of the styles you like (such as elegant, pretty, floral wedding cakes versus novelty wedding cakes). Respect a cake maker who is honest with you and will tell you up front that they feel that there are better people out there who can create what you want.
3. AVAILABILITY
With weddings occurring almost any day of the week now, cake makers can be very much in demand. Ask your cake maker how many wedding cakes they take on in one week and how many people will work on it so that you know that your cake will not be compromised.
4. BOOK IN ADVANCE
I always advise my couples that once they have a date secured with their venue they should book, pay a deposit and reserve the date with their suppliers as soon as possible. Consultations and finer details can be worked out much nearer the time. Generally it’s best to book 9-12 months in advance. Often the cake is one of the first things you should book but one of the last things you should finalise as it can incorporate so many aspects of the wedding eg colours, flowers, fabric, stationery (which will only be known towards the end of the planning stage).
5. DEPOSIT
Ask when the deposit is required which tends to be between 25-50%. It’s always a good idea to make a note of when the balance is due to be paid. This tends to be between a month to 2 weeks before the wedding although check with your cake maker on their policies.
6. DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
Let your cake maker know if there are any allergies that they need to be aware of. However, also bear in mind that, unless you are using a very large company with allergy safe environments, it could be tricky to completely eliminate the risk of cross contamination.
7. ACCESSORIES
Think about how you want the cake displayed and how you’re going to cut it. A cake stand can dramatically change the way that a wedding cake looks and I always recommend the use of one. It adds precedence, height and is an added decorative feature. Most established cake makers will have a range of stands for hire. Some venues offer use of a cake stand as part of the package but always ask to see it beforehand, as they can be old fashioned silver stands which might not suit the style of your cake. It is generally the responsibility of the couple to return the stands within a couple of days of the wedding, unless this has been agreed prior and a collection charge has been paid.
8. DELIVERY
Make sure you let your cake maker know where and when the cake is to be delivered or if you are going to collect it. Most cake makers will charge for delivery and this will also include the return journey. They will also need to know who is the point of contact at the venue as you may be otherwise busy. Plus think about where the cake is to be set up, being mindful that it shouldn’t be in direct sunlight, or have a cluttered background.
Logistics aside, the fun part is picking what it’ll look like and how it will embody the theme of your special day. Here are some current trends in wedding cakes to give you some inspiration:
Chalkboard: Chalkboards are often used at weddings for place settings, order of events and direction signs, so why not follow the theme through onto the cake, and personalising with a monogram or favourite quotes and lyrics. It’s also the perfect opportunity to show off some pretty calligraphy fonts.
Photography by Neil Hanson http://www.nordicpics.co.uk
Semi naked cake: The naked cake has been around for a number of years now so it’s about time there was a new twist on it! The semi naked cake has a thin scraping of buttercream which allows the sponge to show through slightly. It gives an interesting rustic finish which looks beautiful decorated with fresh flowers and fruits.
Photography by Neil Hanson www.nordicpics.co.uk
Textured Buttercream: Lots of people love the thought of sinking their teeth into light fluffy sponge and a nice thick layer of delicious buttercream. So if you prefer buttercream to fondant then this is the perfect cake for you. Finished with fresh flowers, it gives an elegantly simple yet stylishly beautiful wedding cake.
Photography by Pretty Cake Company
Marble: Marble cakes are seeing a big revival at the moment and here is a cake which incorporates many on trend features. The marble tiers on the top and bottom are flecked with gold and the metallic drips on the bottom tier are also very fashionable. The chalkboard tier adds the opportunity for a bit of personalisation and the beautiful sugar flowers add a pretty feature which feminises the cake.
Photography by Farrow Photography www.farrowphotography.com
Ruffles/texture: Texture has been popular for a few years now and here is a cake which demonstrates texture in many ways. The vertical ruffles add an understated elegant texture; the gold sequins add sparkle and the pretty gold piping was inspired by a stationery design. Together with the sharp edge finish on this cake and the single garden rose on the top tier, this is a crisp, sleek and sophisticated wedding cake.
Photography by Neil Hanson www.nordicpics.co.uk
Metallic and opulence: Metallic decoration can be seen in many ways, be it, metallic leaf, metallic lustre, metallic sequins or simple enhancements with a paintbrush and edible metallic paint. Here is a grand 5 tier cake with a metallic gold leaf tier. Metallic leaf can leave a distressed finish as it is very difficult to apply, but this is part of its charm. The cake was finished off with patches of intricate lace pipework and gorgeous sugar flowers.
Photography by Neil Hanson www.nordicpics.co.uk
Floral romance: Cake and flowers often go together, whether the flowers are real or if they are made from sugar. Here is a selection of recent floral wedding cakes showing how diverse each one can be.
Photography by Neil Hanson www.nordicpics.co.uk
Photography by Neil Hanson www.nordicpics.co.uk
The Pretty Cake Company offers a friendly, personal and bespoke wedding cake design service to produce breath taking wedding cakes that will be remembered for years to come. They produce wedding cakes that are individual to the bride and groom – always focusing on the attention to detail that makes all the difference. They have over 10 years of experience in designing and creating wedding cakes and work closely with numerous prestigious wedding venues in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and The Cotswolds. They will work with you and take your ideas and inspirations in order to create a truly memorable wedding cake. They pride ourselves on using the finest quality and freshest ingredients available.
Unlike many other cake companies, they now specialise only in wedding cakes, as this is their true passion. Now they are able to focus on keeping up to date with current bridal trends and ensuring that their clients receive expert advice in the wedding cake field.
Clients are guaranteed a friendly, efficient service where quality is never compromised. Consultations by appointment only. They are based in Minster Lovell, Witney, West Oxfordshire and can deliver to a wide area.
As well as general wedding planning chat, this week’s theme is ‘TV & film weddings’ – what are your favs & which will affect trends in 2017 #UKWedLunch
QUESTION 1: What is your favourite wedding film? I love 4 Weddings and a Ffuneral, 27 Dresses & Bridesmaids!#UKWedLunch
QUESTION 2: What is your favourite tv wedding? For me, it’s Scott & Charlene’s in Neighbours! What entrance music! #UKWedLunch
QUESTION 3: Which wedding have influenced you the most? Gotta be royal weddings for me esp as Kate & Will for married same year as us #UKWedLunch
QUESTION 4: Which film genre will influence weddings the most in 2017? Comic book, romantic futurist, beach, medieval, 1920s? #UKWedLunch
QUESTION 5: 2017 looks set to be a year of blockbuster films & tv progs. Which will affect wedding trends? #UKWedLunch
QUESTION 6: What influence do you think the new Beauty & the Beast film will have on wedding themes? #UKWedLunch
This week’s #toptips are taken from ‘New Beginnings‘ #UKWedLunch
Thank you so much to everyone for all your votes. I really appreciate your support and it has ensured the blog has made it to the final round in the Wedding and Events category.
I’m feeling pretty chuffed as they’ve combined two categories into one this year, plus each category only has 8 blogs in the shortlist this year (versus 10 blogs each in two categories last year). So I’m really pleased to make it through with some amazing other blogs.
Congratulations to all my fellow individual finalists in the UK Blog Awards Wedding and Events category. I’m proud to be a finalist alongside you.
I love this time of year. It’s when our metaphorical diary is full of blank pages yet unwritten.
For lots of people, the new year is a popular time to book holidays, make resolutions, kick start a new healthy regime and start thinking about personal special occasions that we have coming up.
Plus the start of the year often spurs people to pop the question and/or kickstart their wedding planning.
Huge congratulations to you if you’ve got engaged over the festive period.
Telling people your big news and flashing your new piece of jewellery is such an exciting time and it won’t be long until you’ll be asked (again and again) when is your big day.
So here’s a little help with picking a date for your special day (and take a look at this useful guide to setting the date too).
Make sure you think about what else is going on in the world such as national, local and annual events including:
Public holidays
Sporting events
Royal occasions
Other people’s occasions (like birthdays, wedding anniversaries and religious festivals)
Here’s a list of some events (in England) in 2017 that could influence your choice of dates:
New Year’s Day 1 January
Epiphany 6 January
Orthodox Christmas Day 7 January
Orthodox New Year 14 January
Burns Night 25 January
Chinese New Year 28 January
Valentine’s Day 14 February
Shrove Tuesday 28 February
St David’s Day 1 March
St Patrick’s Day 17 March
First Day of Spring 20 March
Clocks go forward 26 March
Mother’s Day 26 March
April Fool’s Day 1 April
Boat Race 2 April
Passover 11-18 April
Good Friday 14 April
Easter Day 16 April
Easter Monday 17 April
St George’s Day 23 April
London Marathon 23 April
May Day Bank Holiday 1 May
FA Cup Final 27 May
Spring Bank Holiday 29 May
Royal Ascot 16-20 June
Father’s Day 18 June
First Day of Summer 21 June
Eid 26 June
Henley Regatta 28 June – 8 July
Wimbledon 3 – 16 July
Independence Day 4 July
British Grand Prix 7-9 July
Summer Bank Holiday 28 August
First Day of Autumn 22 September
Diwali 19 October
Clocks go back 29 October
Guy Fawkes 5 November
Remembrance Day 11 November
Thanksgiving 23 November
St Andrew’s Day 30 November
Hanukkah 13-20 December
First Day of Winter 21 December
Christmas Day 25 December
Boxing Day 26 December
Enjoy celebrating in 2017 and I wish you a very Happy New Year.