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A complete blank canvas: our guide to tipi weddings

A complete blank canvas: our guide to tipi weddings

For those couples who like to think outside of the ‘box’ (or building!) when it comes to picking a wedding venue, you may be interested in having somewhere that is a complete blank canvas (perhaps literally a canvas!). Somewhere unique and flexible so that you can decorate and lay out everything exactly how you want. A shell of a place that can cater to your very own style, be built around your theme and be set in the location of your dreams.

For a magical, sometimes intimate and truly romantic experience, many are choosing a marquee alternative to ensure a personal and unusual place to say ‘I do’. With current trends of festival and Coachella style weddings, people are looking for flexibility from the next generation of marquee style weddings.

Photography by Xavier Wedding Photography

No longer just a white tented box to offer, there are now numerous tented options to choose from including marquees, katas, yurts, sail cloth tents, circus tents, canopies, Chinese hats, pavilion tents and tipis. They each offer something a little different. For examples, marquees may not offer as much character as a tipi but wouldn’t have as many poles inside. So it depends what style you are going for and what you want the space to say and do for your big day.

At the moment, I am really loving the trend for tipis. The dictionary definition of a tipi/tepee/teepee is

a tent of the American Indians, made usually from animal skins laid on a conical frame of long poles and having an opening at the top for ventilation and a flap door.

For me, the fun, unique, and intimate, tipi-shaped structure is a space your guests will never forget. They can come in different sizes and can cater for large or small gatherings. For example a single tent would be better for a smaller gathering, or as a structure for a chill out area. Whilst a large gathering can be housed by linking tipis together to create a wonderful festival vibe space.

Putting together any marquee style wedding is certainly more work than going with a bespoke hotel package but the world really is your oyster when you have a blank page to start from and you’re only limited by your imagination! Here are my tips when planning a tipi wedding:

  1. Where to pitch your ‘tent’? Finding the right site is key to whether logistically your dreams can become a reality. Find out if the location has power (if not you’ll need to bring in a generator) and any other utility services (you’ll probably need to bring in toilets and the caterers will need to bring in water).
  2. How many guests are you inviting? If you have a number of guests in mind then you can start to decide how many tipis and the configuration that would work for your gathering.
  3. What time of year are you planning on tying the knot? If it’s going to be cold you may need to bring in heaters. If it’s likely to rain (and let’s face it, that’s always possible in the UK!) then you need to consider walk ways to avoid slippery grass areas.
  4. What do you want inside the ‘canvas’? Think about your floor plan and where you want the dance floor, bar and seating etc. Do you want long tables and benches or round tables with chairs? Everything you want inside the tipi, you need to think about and either buy, hire, make or borrow.
  5. What style or theme do you envisage? This will help you decide on décor and accessories (and where the fun begins on Pinterest!)
  6. How do you want the place lit? Lighting is vital for an outside venue, not only to create ambience and atmosphere but also to practically light the way when night falls (let’s face it, you don’t want to have a dark walk to the toilets in the middle of the night!)
  7. What style of catering do you require? If you want a hot sit down meal then you need to make your catering company aware of the venue location so they can factor in the equipment that they will need to bring with them. Or you may choose to go for a catering van that can just drive right up to the venue with everything ready onboard!
  8. Do your guests know about your location? It’s worth letting your guests know if you are getting married in ‘a field’ so they can wear appropriate footwear. Consider laying on special transport to get them to a remote location and maybe provide umbrellas and wellies on stand by if the weather is not favourable.

Photography by MIchelle D Mockbee

For more guidance on what to think about when planning a tipi wedding, we suggest speaking to the lovely folks at Love Tipis. Here’s their introduction to some of the services that they have to offer, kindly written by their Event Coordinator, Michelle Mockbee.

From themes of woodland fairytale to the wild west or for the festival bride, tipis give a new approach to hiring a marquee. In the world of weddings this caters to a couple that desires an unconventional and stunning approach to celebrate your big day. (Beyond weddings, tipi hire is becoming a more common choice for family celebrations, festivals, charity events, retreats and corporate events.) Tipis may give the impression of being casual, however this feeling of relaxation comes from a coordinated team with months, or in some cases over a year of planning.

Photography by MIchelle D Mockbee

Tipis hired by Love Tipis originate in Sweden and are of substantial size, able to fit 12 Pine Wood Tables and Benches per tipi or a space for a concert and bar. The larger Giant Hat Tipis are 10.3m in diameter and link to other tipis. These tipis are also able to have the sides up, which gives the feeling of blending into the beauty of the natural environment. They also come with smaller tipis that link into the larger ones, allowing you to shape intimate tucked away spaces for a chill out or bar area. The number of seated guests determines how many tipis you will require. An average of 12 long tables with 8 to a table is able to fit per tipi, although this is a very tight fit. With round tables, the maximum you are able to fit per tipi is 7, which accommodates 10 people per table. Caterers will love you more if you hire long tables over round ones (they are easier to navigate).

There are other accompaniments such as a broad selection of LED lighting, indoor fire pits, bar, snug furniture and a dance area with a wooden dance floor. Some new additions at Love Tipis include some custom chill out or snug furniture featuring hand-stitched sheepskin cushions that settle in on apple crates. These seats serve as both luxurious seating and storage for your guests. They provide neutral tones to match any theme or colour scheme. Benches with cosy sheepskins have a lovely rustic feel, but your older family members, colleagues or friends might be giving you the evil eye all night and be quite uncomfortable.  Remember you can always have a mix of chairs and benches.

Love Tipis work closely with clients to design the interior of the tipi from seating to fire pits.  All the extra items you request takes up space.  Exploring all the possibilities through floor plans, really allows the day to unfold before your eyes.  The orientation/formation of the tipis, and how it all comes together allows for a stress free planning process. It’s their job to stress out over making sure everything fits, and they will walk you through the process so you can concentrate on the more important details, not the general logistics. They are also happy to come out for a site visit and walk you through the process. Your safety is their first concern.

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For events that will go throughout the night, lighting will leave your guests breathless. Beyond fairy lights, there are many considerations.  The neutral tone of the canvass allows lights to create absolutely stunning effects.  For example, it is not the disco ball that catches the eye, but the reflections and patterns it makes on the canvass.  LED indoor uplighters can be set to multiple colours or hooked into the sound system to change with the beat of the music.  LED outdoor uplighters create dramatic effects on both canvas or up in trees. Festoon lights are brilliant for pathways and setting the tone outside the tipis. All of the lighting is LED, which is very useful if your event is being run on a generator.

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Tipis have smoke holes in the centre, and they hire out firepits to go inside the tipis.  They also offer outdoor fire pits to cosy up to under the night sky.  In regards to walkways, they provide flame torches or vases with slow burn candles. They also have a variety of candle chandeliers to hang inside the tipis in dining areas. All of these choices are based on your budget and your theme. Love Tipis make sure that the lighitng you pay for compliments the look your are setting out to achieve.

Love Tipis have developed special relationships with certain companies to provide all encompassing packages for clients that could include glamping, accommodation, license for marriage, as well as catering with bar and dining. They work closely with three companies that provide a variety of settings and themes depending on the ambience you seek.

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The Maybush Wedding Company based in Oxfordshire is a pub on the Thames that provides an exclusive package to the pub with a field that hosts bell tents and two Giant Hat Tipis for your event. There are also options of accommodation nearby, along with a beautiful and quaint canal boat to be hired. For those of you seeking a mix between the outdoors and the facilities of a pub with catering, the Maybush is happy to make your dreams come true.

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The Bell Tent Company based in Brighton provides all-inclusive packages with bell tents and tipis that host for any occasion. They are able to provide a variety of venues for those seeking a glamping, festival or woodland feel. Their sites provide bell tents, luxury loos, hot showers and a real ale bar with signature cocktails. Depending on your menu preference, there are options of hiring in a wood fired pizza boxcar or Mexican style cuisine. To get away from it all for a natural and relaxed feel in a field or in the woods with bell tents, food and a warm fire, this is the company for your event.LOVETIPI_Beacon

The Beacon is an idyllic rural setting with 17 acres and three ponds nestled in the woodlands of Tunbridge Wells. The newly revamped pub is at the top of a hill overlooking small villages and lush rolling hills. Their all-inclusive package is where luxury meets the wild west. This venue is licensed for marriage ceremonies and offers a variety of options to host up to 100 guests for a Love Tipis reception overlooking the natural beauty of the ponds and woodlands. The Beacon is part of the local food movement offering a gorgeous menu, and a top-notch service. For those of you looking for that luxury feel, whilst still being surrounded by the countryside, The Beacon is a gorgeous option. Take a look at their wedding pack for more information.

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Love Tipis are based in Oxford and Brighton, which lends flexibility in hiring with Love Tipis. Each venue sets a certain tone and aesthetic. The tipis are able to offer numerous styles that provide a standard of event that compares to no other. With a vast knowledge and experienced team that loves the product they provide. At Love Tipis they pride themselves in providing a high quality service to work individually with their clients and their venues. By providing custom floor plans, lighting and seating layouts of the tipis, they strive for a stress free process that is thorough and prompt.

For more information go to www.lovetipis.co.uk or contact info@lovetipis.co.uk or call the Oxford Office on +44 (0)1865 250027 or the Brighton Office +44 (0)1273 689891.

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Top 20 local wedding venues in the Cotswolds

Top 20 local wedding venues in the Cotswolds

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I always feel really lucky to live in such a stunning part of the country with it’s lush green countryside, acres of lavender fields and picturesque, chocolate box villages with their honey coloured limestone buildings.

Hanami Dream is based in Oxfordshire and there are some truly beautiful venues to choose from in the surrounding Cotswolds. Whether in a barn, a manor house, in a marquee or a hotel, there are some amazing places (with some breathtaking views) to hold your wedding or special occasion. There’s something out there to accommodate most styles, guest numbers and budgets.

Here is my pick of the top 20 venues in and around Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds that are fantastic wedding venues. Some of these you may of heard of before, some have been quite rightly showered with accolades, whilst some are wonderful hidden gems or for those couples who like to think outside of the ‘box’ (or building!)

 

The Bay Tree Hotel

venue | Bay Tree

This is my favourite wedding venue in the area (although perhaps I’m bias as I got married there!) Situated in the quintessentially English town of Burford, The Bay Tree Hotel is full of historical charm and contemporary style, boasting a setting to remember for your big day. Warm, relaxing and welcoming; this hotel is the perfect retreat for your wedding day.

As a small country house hotel, the Bay Tree Hotel is ideally suited to exclusive use weddings. On your Wedding Day they can give you exclusivity of the hotel from check-in (14.00) until check out the following morning. Once your last guests have arrived they close the front door allowing you to enjoy the atmosphere of a private house party with the advantage of their friendly and professional team to tend to your every need. Looking for something a little more low key? The Bay Tree has two beautiful rooms to choose from along with a licensed Cotswold garden!

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Blenheim Palace

venue | Blenheim Palace

A masterpiece of 18th century Baroque architecture set in more than 2000 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped Parkland and award-winning Formal Gardens, Blenheim Palace provides a magnificent setting for your evening wedding, with a collection of six venue spaces to use for various elements of your event. From the stunning Orangery and Marlborough Room for your ceremony to the impressive Great Hall and ornate Long Library for your dinner and drinks receptions, and the Water Terraces for music and dancing, Blenheim Palace makes a perfect location for a wedding of any size and style.

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Cogges Manor Farm

venue | Cogges

A beautiful Oxfordshire Cotswold barn wedding venue, Cogges Manor Farm provides an idyllic rural location for your special day. This popular rustic wedding venue in Witney offers two stunning seventeeth century barns and a manor house which provide a wonderful setting for your celebrations. Cogges now offers a civil ceremony license and is next door to Cogges Parish Church.

The stunning and spacious Wheat Barn can seat up to 200 guests, with refurbished stone floor, and portable heating. The more intimate and adjacent Barley Barn can seat about 60 guests or is an ideal choice to use as a dance or ceremony area. Each barn can be hired separately, or as a combined hire. In addition to any indoor space you hire, you and your guests can use the outdoor space to wander and enjoy. Cogges has many perfect locations for your wedding photographs, such as the manor house lawn, the walled garden or the orchard and you can even include the farm animals in your photos.

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Cripps Barn

venue | Cripps Barn

Cripps Barn is a lovely old Cotswold stone barn set on its own in beautiful countryside near Bibury. It has flag stone floors, an open fire place and a large south facing terrace with fire pits and a bonfire in the garden.

Cripps Barn is a small family run business and the barn is the original party barn of all the barns now run by the company. If it is a relaxed feel you want, with incredible food and great service, this is the place for you. You can get married in the barn or outside in our lovely woodland glade.  After the wedding and the meal, the barn makes the perfect place to party.  You can dance the night away right up to 1.00 a.m. in the morning. They are known for their whole BBQ’d lambs, sirloin steak bricks or butterflied leg of lamb.  Alternatively you can have rotisserie chicken, suckling pig or duck. There is also free camping available in the next door field.

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Eynsham Hall

venue | Eynsham Hall

The quintessentially British Eynsham Hall, has recently completed a major £2.5 million refurbishment which includes the renovation of the main lounge and a range of main hall and lodge bedrooms, as well as the launch of a new Brasserie. The Brasserie offers some of the finest seasonal British food, with as much produce as possible sourced from local farms and suppliers, including nearby Kelmscott Farm.

The hotel is located in Oxfordshire and is set upon 3,000 acres of rolling parkland, providing a whimsical blend of elegant period features with a twist of modern design. There are matured trees, manicured topiary, formal gardens, ponds, fountains and terraces which create a fairy tale backdrop for your very special day. It offers stately charm, without the stuffiness, where you can enjoy the fresh country air in an elegant and intimate setting.
In addition to the Jacobean staircase that dominates the reception area and makes for a grand entrance for the Bride, the myriad of rooms are full of individual character and charm. They boast oak panelled walls, ornate ceilings, historic oil paintings, marble fireplaces, and large arched windows with views over the romantic gardens.

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Foxhill Manor

venue | Foxhill Manor

Foxhill Manor is a stunning grade II listed Cotswold manor house in the heart of the 400-acre Farncombe Estate near Broadway. It belongs to the same family as the celebrated boutique hotel, Dormy House, but is just a little bit more exclusive. Originally built in 1909 by local Cotswolds craftsmen and designed by Yorkshire-born architect Joseph Lancaster Ball (one of the leading lights of the Arts & Crafts movement), it has under gone a complete renovation. Now, this former country home is open to guests as a private house hotel. Inside there are eight large suites and ample living space. It is also available to book as an exclusive use venue for private events and weddings.

Church service or civil ceremony, full wedding breakfast or Champagne reception, large floral arrangements and intricate cake decorations – a dedicated wedding co-ordinator is on hand to cater to every style of wedding at Foxhill Manor. Additional accommodation for guests is available at Dormy House or on the Estate at The Fish. With plenty of photo opportunities throughout the estate, including the private Japanese Garden, it is an ideal venue for weddings.

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Lains Barn

venue | Lains Barn

Lains Barn near Wantage was voted the best wedding venue in the UK by online wedding directory Guides for Brides in its 5* Customer Service Awards 2016. Lains Barn, parts of which date back to 1750, saw off competition from more than 8,000 other venues listed on the website to take first place last month. Judges described it as a “magnificent, historic” building with “beautiful” grounds that also left couples enough space to add a personal touches to their big day. Guides for Brides told the barn staff their award was down to “consistent feedback praising your experienced and dedicated team who help with the entire wedding planning process as well as giving general advice”.

This magnificent restored historic barn is beautifully located in rural Oxfordshire and is perfect for a barn wedding.

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Maybush Wedding Company

venue | Maybush Wedding Company

The Maybush Wedding Company is set in Newbridge on Thames, in rural West Oxfordshire, in a picturesque riverside setting where the oldest bridge crosses the River Thames and the wonderful Maybush Inn enjoys enviable position overlooking the river and meadows. They offer one of the best outdoor wedding package with the added benefit of an outdoor wedding where the logistics are taken care of with all the services (tipis, tents, toilets, showers, generators, lighting etc) already organised. Plus the added benefits of a bus bar, shepherds huts, luxury river barges and their trained chef and staff to offer the highest levels of quality in hospitality.

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Merriscourt

venue | Merriscourt

Nestled in the heart of the Cotswolds on the borders of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. Merriscourt is an elegant and versatile choice of venue for the perfect wedding. Proudly ‘off the beaten track’, yet conveniently located for accommodation and transport links. Merriscourt is part of the Bruern Estate owned by the Astor Family and boasts two stunning airy inter-connected barns, with adjoining Gallery centering on a flower-filled Cotswold stone courtyard, perfect for a drinks reception or chilling out into the evening.

At Merriscourt they only have one wedding on any given weekend or as part of their midweek ‘Wedding Wednesday’ offering. The venue is exclusively yours. Invite your family and friends to join you the day before your big event, decorate the barns at your leisure and have a fun and relaxing day.

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Old Swan & Minster Mill, Minster Lovell

Nicola & Aiden's Wedding at The Old Swan & Minster Mill, Minster Lovell

Situated in the heart of the Cotswolds, this authentic country house hotel and inn is an idyllic spot to hold your wedding celebrations, complete with a croquet lawn, weeping willows and the River Windrush.

Specialising in intimate weddings, it can host up to 50 guests for the ceremony, reception drinks, wedding breakfast and up to 110 guests for the evening reception. With 60 bedrooms, all of your guests can also stay in luxurious accommodation in the picturesque village of Old Minster.

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Riverside Weddings

venue | Riverside

If you want a truly unique wedding in which to use your creativity, choosing a field wedding at Riverside Weddings gives space and freedom to realize your dreams. Boarded by the tranquil Thames, with historic Newbridge (actually one of the oldest bridges) as the backdrop, you can revel in the Oxfordshire sunset and celebrate into the night. As well as oodles of space for any entertainment imaginable from fairground rides, punting, pony rides, fireworks to music around the campfire with guest camping and mooring you get the meadow for five days so have a calm set up and get the final touches perfect.

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Stone Barn

venue | Stone Barn

Stone Barn is a lovely old Cotswold stone barn, magnificently-isolated in the heart of the beautiful Cotswolds countryside near Aldsworth. The Stone Barn is elegantly simple; with flag stone floors and an open fire place. Attached are Dutch Barns used as the dining area, and contains (they are pretty sure!) Britain’s largest barbecue. The Dutch Barns are split-level and have corrugated iron, polished concrete and sawn oak floors, and the view overlooks the spectacular, rolling Cotswold Hills with not another building in sight. After the wedding and the meal, the stone barn makes the perfect place to party – right up to 12.30am in the morning.

Stone Barn is a small family run business and if it is a relaxed feel you want, with incredible food and great service, then this is the place for you! They are known for their whole BBQ’d lambs, sirloin steak bricks or butterflied legs of lamb. They generally in a feast style on boards and in bowls to the centre of the tables. There is also free camping available in the next door field.

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The Swan Hotel, Bibury

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Situated on the banks of the enchanting River Coln, The Swan Hotel boasts a picture-perfect setting for your wedding, and with a dedicated wedding coordinator and friendly team of staff on hand, they can help make your big day extra special. Nestled in the village of Bibury, which is often known as the most beautiful village in England, is The Swan Hotel, a former Cotswold Coaching Inn and the perfect haven from which to spend your special day. Whether you’re planning a traditional big white wedding, a romantic, intimate day or even something a little different, they can accommodate your needs.

They have three locations licensed for wedding ceremonies; The Library – a cosy, homely room for intimate weddings of up to 24 guests, The Signet Room – an elegant dining room with wow-factor, for up to 110 guests and last but by no means least, the beautiful flower-filled, riverside gardens.

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Wyck Hill House Hotel and Spa, Stow on the Wold

venue | Wyck Hill House Hotel & Spa

Located in the heart of The Cotswolds, Wyck Hill House Hotel and Spa is a 60 bedroom,  4 star country house hotel, nestled within 50 acres of grounds, offering breathtaking views of the beautiful Windrush Valley and rolling hills of The Cotswolds. Situated just outside the market town of Stow-on-the-Wold.

Wyck Hill is a truly romantic setting, with stunning views, beautiful gardens and a delightful combination of a traditional setting with modern facilities.

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And not forgetting these amazing places too:

We are certainly spoilt for choice around here for amazing venues to hold a special occasion. For more details on how to pick your perfect wedding venue look out for the next part of my Holy Trinity of Wedding Planning blog series coming soon – this will focus on the where element. Take a look at part one of who.

The holy trinity of wedding planning – Part 1: who

The holy trinity of wedding planning – Part 1: who

Last month I started to talk about the three key aspects of planning a wedding that pretty much affect every other thing that is connected with your big day. These are where, who and how much (otherwise known as your venue, guests and budget). These are a group of three things that are united. As I mentioned in the post that looked at when to get married, nearly all the decisions you have to make about your wedding will come back to one, two or all of the elements in what I class as the holy trinity of wedding planning.

This month I’m going to tackle the who element and your all-important guest list (and will look at the where and how much aspects another time).

There will probably be some tough decisions to make with your guest list. Perhaps the reality of your budget means you have to rein in a few of your plans, or other people’s involvement means compromising on some thoughts, or maybe who you want to invite and have on your guest list causes headaches.Francis wedding 1950 | Hanami Dream

Here are 10 things that can dictate and influence who gets to come to the big day:

1. Venue
Firstly the other two elements of the holy trinity of wedding planning (the where and how much) will have a massive say on how many guests you can invite. For example, you can’t decide on a venue without knowing how many people you want to invite. Or maybe you want to pick your dream venue and have the size of the place dictate the number of guests you can invite. The venue could also influence the style of wedding you have based on how many guests you’re allowed in the room for a ceremony, a sit down meal or a standing buffet (this number will vary depending on the number of chairs and tables required for different room set ups).

Where you hold your wedding may affect whether people are able to travel to it. For instance, if you have a destination wedding abroad or hold it in a different part of the country to where your family live. These decisions could mean that elderly relatives can’t make it or people can’t take extra time off work to travel or stay over at the venue. Although, maybe you want to limit the numbers and so eloping or flying off to Vegas may be the best option for you so that you have just a few select guests there. (Bear in mind that infamous episode of Don’t Tell the Bride though and don’t eliminate important guests ie pick one sibling over the other to go to a destination wedding!)

2. Budget
The other part of the holy trinity of wedding planning is the money side of things. How much you have to spend will definitely factor in to how many people you can invite. It might not just be about how many people you can fit in the room, but how many you can afford to be there too. There are some costs that won’t change no matter how many people are there but there a number of variable costs that will alter depending on how many people are enjoying them. These costs include the food, favours, cake, drinks, stationery (such as invites, menus, orders of services etc) and the size of the bridal party. Plus if you are going abroad, consider whether you or your guests pay for their transport, travel and hotel costs.

[Look out for more on budgeting advice for weddings and venue choices in future blog posts about the holy trinity of wedding planning coming soon.]

3. Timing
I covered quite a bit about this aspect in the So, when’s the big day? post last month. Suffice to say that the day of the week could have a big impact on whether people would be able to attend and also if it’s during a holiday time. If you really want to ensure people can make it then the best advice is to give them as much notice as possible. Send out save the date cards or discuss with key people to find out whether they could make it.

4. Law
Let’s bring this back down to the basics. The most important people to be at your wedding are you and your partner. As well as you two, you only really need 3 (or 4) other people to be there if you want an intimate affair. So as long as you’ve got someone to carry out the ceremony (plus a registrar if the person who conducts the ceremony is not authorised to register marriages) and two witnesses then you’re sorted. Anyone else is a bonus.

5. Family
It’s probably best to start with your nearest and dearest. Who could you not do without in order to enjoy the day? These are probably your parents, siblings, family and close friends. If you have a very large family, it could mean that you don’t have many spaces left for lots of other guests!

6. Wedding party
Then there’s the crew that stand alongside you on the big day. These reliable, supportive and trusted friends are who you are putting all your faith in to ensure your day goes smoothly. So pick your team wisely (this was a top tip from one bride in the Wedding day advice from real brides and grooms blog). It is entirely up to you how big to make your wedding party. But consider that how many people are in the bridal party will affect the number of bridesmaids dresses, bouquets, gifts, suits etc that you have to include in the budget (yes, everything comes back to the holy trinity of wedding planning again!) Decide and discuss what you are going to pay for and what elements you require to be paid for by the wedding party as soon as you can.

7. Wallet
Now this is the biggy and probably the most political and controversial aspect. Who is paying for the wedding? If you are paying for your own wedding, you pretty much can decide all elements yourself. Or at least have the final say. However, if the money is coming from someone else you may feel indebted to honour their wishes or requests. For example, if your parents are paying then they may want to invite many of their own guests to the day. Traditionally it is etiquette for the bride’s and groom’s parents to have a proportion of the guest list to allocate themselves. Often it comes down to a bit of compromise. For me, I didn’t want to look around the room and not know the people that were sharing our day. With an intimate occasion, I didn’t want to invite a long-list relative at the sacrifice of inviting a dear friend.

8. Day vs evening 
If you have the option to be able to split the day to different elements then you could include additional people as evening guests to join you after the main meal. But try to make sure it’s not just a tagged on event and still includes elements of a wedding day to make them feel like valued additions to the day.

9. Plus ones
You’ll also need to decide whether you are going to include children to your wedding. Are you inviting work colleagues? If you’re not limited to numbers will you allow single guests to bring plus ones that you potentially might not even know?

10. Who?
Ultimately, it all boils down to who you want in the room with you and how well do you want to know the people that are there. Honestly, you’ll start to see pound signs appearing above your friends and family’s heads! I guess, it’s a crude way to think of it but in reality you’ve got to think ‘Would I take this person out to dinner and pay for their meal?’ (or pay for them to have a drink, if you are having a separate evening guest list). Do you know them? Do you like them? Have you seen them recently? Do you want them to share your day with you?

When you look back on your big day your wedding photographs will be a snap shot of your family and circle of friends at that moment in time.

There’s no right or wrong answer on who to invite to your wedding. Nor is there a magical formula that will work it out for you. Ultimately, you should invite guests that you want to share your special day with. When you look around the room you want to know that everyone in the room is an important part of your life and it is precious to have all the people you care about in one place at the same time.

So, you’ve got all your guests to the venue, now where do you seat them? Look out for a guide to organising your seating plan in another blog post soon.

Pantone® announce Fashion Colour Report Fall 2016

Pantone® announce Fashion Colour Report Fall 2016

Pantone fall 2016We’ve had a gloriously sunny (albeit a bit chilly) day today. What a welcome change after all the recent wet and windy weather in the UK. Whilst it might still officially be winter, the blossom on the trees and the daffodils certainly think it’s Spring already here! Plus, every day we are gaining 6 more minutes of daylight and it’s not long until the clocks change and then we’re in the home straight to summer! Not that we’re wishing the year away but our thoughts have been drawn to the autumnal months already with the exciting announcement from Pantone® today.

Released to coincide with New York Fashion Week, Pantone® have announced their colour report for Fall 2016 with some more soothing colours following the trend of their predictions for Spring/Summer 2016.

Before you read any further, I want to get across how much of a huge fan of Pantone® I am. Maybe this is why I’m so disappointed and how I feel a bit short changed from this latest report. After the shock of getting two colours of the year in 2016, I was full of anticipation to see what the next big twist would be and what excitement was in store. But I’ve been left a little flat. It seems that half of the ten colours for Fall 2016 are duplicates from the Spring/Summer 2016 predictions. I feel like I’ve seen this before.

Forgive me, but to me the first 5 colours (of Riverside, Airy Blue, Sharkskin, Aurora Red and Warm Taupe) could easily be mistaken for Snorkel Blue, Serenity, Lilac Grey, Fiesta and Iced Coffee announced in the Spring 2016 report.

Don’t get me wrong, I really like these 5 colours, which (with the exception of Aurora Red) are beautifully delicate and calming – perfect for a wedding palette at any time of the year.

In addition, the other five colours are earthy, rich and grounding. They remind me of a fantastic laid back holiday in the autumn sunshine of Marrakech. Exploring the souks, relaxing on the terrace of a riad and looking out at the Atlas Mountains on the horizon as the sun sets. They take in all the varied beauty of Morocco including its coast, the lush valleys, stunning mountains and all the way to the desert. Isn’t it amazing how colour evokes so much feeling and memories as well as a sense of escapism!

The top ten colours for Fall 2016 are:

  • Riverside (PANTONE 17-4028)
  • Airy Blue (PANTONE 14-4122)
  • Sharkskin (PANTONE 17-3914)
  • Aurora Red (PANTONE 18-1550)
  • Warm Taupe (PANTONE 16-318)
  • Dusty Cedar (PANTONE 18-1630)
  • Lush Meadow (PANTONE 18-5845)
  • Potter’s Clay (PANTONE 18-1340)
  • Spicy Mustard (PANTONE 14-0952)
  • Bodacious (PANTONE 17-3240)

Pantone® is the world-renowned authority on colour and the Pantone® Color of the Year is always really influential in any popular colour themes in fashion, interior design and weddings.

I can’t wait to see these autumnal colours featuring in couples’ colour schemes and personally love the combination of Potter’s Clay, Spicy Mustard and Bodacious for being a bit different.

It’s always great to see fresh new colours and combinations, so this time I guess I’ve been left wanting (and maybe expecting) just a little bit more.

See some of our trend predictions for weddings in 2016.

 

So, when’s the big day?

So, when’s the big day?

It’s February and it might be the shortest month but it is often referred to as one of the most romantic months of the year (especially if Hallmark have done their job properly in convincing you, if you didn’t already agree). Plus this year there is double the chance of a proposal this month (if you are waiting for one patiently) with not only Valentine’s Day on the 14th, but as it is a leap year you can take matters in to your own hands and pop the question yourself on the 29th. We look forward to hearing all the forthcoming engagement stories and wedding plans. (Meanwhile if you are looking for inspiration on ways to propose (or if you just love hearing how people get betrothed) then take a look at some proposal stories from real brides that we’ve curated.)

Congratulations if you are recently engaged. Telling people your big news and flashing your new piece of jewellery is such an exciting time and how wonderful to be spreading good news amongst your nearest and dearest. Unfortunately, just telling the romantic (or run of the mill) engagement story is often not enough information for some of our family and friends. And I imagine that almost in the same breath as wishing you their congratulations, one of the first questions that you’ll get asked (again and again) when you first announce your engagement is ‘So, when is the big day?’ (After you’re married the question then becomes ‘So, when are you having a baby?’ But that’s a different story!)

If you’ve not set the date yet, this can be quite a daunting question and certainly one that requires quite a bit of thought. So before you rush to send out your save the date cards, please let us offer our guidance on how (and when) to set your wedding date.

Image by Farrow Photography

  1. Consider the holy trinity of wedding planning

For me, there are three key aspects of wedding planning that go hand in hand and pretty much affect every other thing that is connected with your big day. These are Venue, Guests and Budget (otherwise known as where, who and how much). They co-exist as you can’t really pick your venue without knowing how much you have to spend and how many people you want to invite. Likewise, you might not be able to invite all your guests due to venue size and money constraints. And let’s face it, your budget may well dictate whether you can afford your dream venue or how many second cousins removed can be invited. So they’re a bit like the chicken and the egg (and the farmyard!) as you can’t decide one thing without the other. (Don’t worry we’ll be talking lots about these three elements in future blog posts coming very soon!)

Anyway, I digress as we are actually talking about the when aspect of wedding planning at the moment. However, the where, who and how much elements very much affect when your big day will be too. For example, venues may have different prices depending on the time of the year and do you when your key guests or wedding party be available. Trust me, nearly all the decisions you have to make about your wedding will come back to one, two or all of the elements in what I class as the holy trinity of wedding planning.
Hanami Dream | Alice in Wonderland | Rabbit Watch | Farrow Photography

  1. Timing is everything

I married a school teacher so instantly my choices were limited for wedding dates if I wanted to have a honeymoon after the ceremony. (Honestly, I used to take a holiday in November time to enjoy some winter sunshine before I met my husband. But even before kids, I had to resign myself to more expensive non term time holidays! Heavy sign!) So, we chose the summer holidays which then meant we had to consider other people’s travel commitments and it impactedon our budget as it was in the height of wedding season. We also had to consider availability of certain suppliers at a busy time. One benefit of marrying a teacher though is that we weren’t restricted to a weekend date which made it cheaper on the venue costs (although would mean that some of our guests had to take a day off work). See what I mean about it always coming back to decisions or compromises based on cost, guests or venue!

So you have to decide what are your must haves (ie what you’re not willing to compromise on) and what you can be flexible with. For example, in order to get your dream venue are you willing to wait a couple of years to get the right date. Here are some things to bear in mind when picking your date:

  • Year – which year are you thinking? This year? Next year? Or several years down the line? This may seem like a basic question but if you want to do something this year then suppliers and venues may already be booked up. So think about how long you have /want to plan the wedding. The more notice you give then the more likely you are able to have your first choice. Only last week I heard a supplier say that they have been booked for a 2020 wedding – now that is forward planning!
  • Time of year / season – this could affect what the weather is likely to be like (although who knows what the British weather is up to at the moment!) which could influence your themes, colours, venue, attire, transportation, food choice etc etc. Also different seasons can have an impact on the price and availability of food and flowers. I really wanted the church to be crammed full of cowslip when I got married but this is just nowhere to be seen in August!
  • Month – the old Catholic marriage song below states your fate as a couple depending on the month you choose to wed. At the time, it was unusual and unlucky for a couple to get married in May as this was the start of Summer and was marked by a pagan feast. Although this superstition may date further back to Roman times. On the contrary, June and other summer months are very popular and even December is gaining in popularity, presumably so that people can use holiday time around the big day. It is worth considering different months as popular ones are in demand so prices may increase and availability will decrease.

Marry when the year is new, always loving, always true,
When February birds do mate, you may wed or dread your fate
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you’ll know
Marry in April when you can, joy for maiden and for man,
Marry in the month of May, you will surely rue the day,
Marry when June roses blow, over land and sea you’ll go,
They who in July do wed, must labour always for their bread,
Whoever wed in August be, many a change are sure to see,
Marry in September’s shine, your living will be rich and fine,
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry,
If you wed in bleak November, only Joy will remember,
When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.

  • Day of the week – ironically in another old poem, it states that getting married on a Saturday is unlucky which nowadays is the most common day for people to tie the knot. However it is also one of the most expensive days too. We chose a Friday which still had the benefit of being near a weekend for people to tag on holiday and was slightly cheaper. More people are now considering other weekdays as options and Sundays too (although this used to be deemed as a mark of disrespect which is probably why it is not mentioned in the version of the poem I sourced).

Monday: Brides will be healthy
Tuesday: Brides will be wealthy
Wednesday: Brides do best of all
Thursday: Brides will suffer losses
Friday: Brides will suffer crosses
Saturday: Brides will have no luck at all

  • Date – superstition often forces couples to avoid the 13th of the month (especially if it falls on a Friday), your birthday, the day of a full moon, April Fool’s Day and it used to be forbidden to get married in Lent and Advent by the church. Some people think that 7 is supposed to be a lucky number whilst 4 is deemed unlucky in Japanese and Chinese traditions so dates with these numbers may be sought after or avoided by couples. Instead perhaps you want to pick a meaningful date to you such as the anniversary of the date you first met, a memorable date that you’ll remember like 12/12/12 or a nod to your heritage such as your grandparents’ wedding anniversary date.
  • Time of day – as someone who is very much driven by their stomach, I would always advise to think about how meal times fit around the formal parts of the day. You don’t want to be having a ceremony when everyone’s tummies are rumbling and there’s no sign of a meal for hours. (As an aside, always keep your guests fed, watered and entertained.) Wedding ceremonies that took place before noon were said to be lucky versus the inverse in the afternoon. However, if you hold a later ceremony you could save money if you only have to feed your guests once in the day.
  • Day or night – a wedding after dark used to be considered unlucky but you could split your guests up to have some come for the whole day and others just join you for the evening part of the day so you don’t have to pay for all of them to have a sit down meal.
  • Duration – nowadays more and more couples are choosing to have a weekend long wedding over 2-3 days to enjoy the company of their friends and family for longer. This would obviously add cost and commitment from all parties if you were going for his option.

Hanami Dream | Alice in Wonderland | Touching Clock | Farrow Photography

  1. What else is going on in the world

You may be living and breathing your wedding and everything else in the world is taking a back seat. However, things are still going on around you and some national, local and annual events may have an impact on your guests involvement, availability and enjoyment. For example:

  • Public holidays – you may want to avoid them as they might increase traffic on the roads near holiday spots or because guests will have family commitments. Or embrace them as people will instantly have a day off.
  • Sporting events – things like the Olympics this year, the FA Cup final and the Euros may be distracting if you’ve got any keen sporting fans attending your wedding.
  • Royal occasions – it doesn’t look likely there’s a royal wedding this year (we were certainly worried Will and Kate were going to pick the same date as us in 2011!) but the Queen is celebrating her 90th birthday in June so people may have plans to mark that occasion.
  • Other people’s occasions – no one really wants to share their big day with someone else’s thunder. So you may want to avoid other people’s birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and religious festivals. Unbeknown to us, there were two other couples that were guests at our wedding who got married on the same date as us (they are teachers too!). They actually liked it as it was a great way to celebrate their own anniversary. However, if it had been a milestone anniversary they might have thought differently. Likewise picking a date near a close friend or family member’s own wedding day might not go down too well either.

Take a look at a list of some events (in England) in 2016 that could influence your choice of dates.

And here are the 2017 dates for your diary to consider.

Plus the 2018 dates for your diary.

Here are the 2019 dates for your diary – https://www.hanamidream.co.uk/dates-for-your-2019-diary/

And here are the 2020 ones too.

Good luck on your quest to pick a date for your wedding day and therefore your wedding anniversary date for years to come. I know a lot of thought will go in to answering the question of ‘So, when is the big day?’ Remember to pick a date that works for you (and the holy trinity of wedding planning obviously!)

We’d love to hear your engagement stories please contact me with how you proposed or were proposed to.

Dates for 2016 diary

Dates for 2016 diary

Here’s a list of some events (in England) still to come in 2016 that could influence your choice of dates:

  • Chinese New Year 8 February
  • Shrove Tuesday 9 February
  • Valentine’s Day 14 February
  • Mother’s Day 6 March
  • St Patrick’s Day 17 March
  • Good Friday 25 March
  • Easter Day 27 March
  • Easter Monday 28 March
  • Boat Race 27 March
  • April Fool’s Day 1 April
  • Passover 22-30 April
  • May Day Bank Holiday 2 May
  • FA Cup Final 21 May
  • Spring Bank Holiday 30 May
  • Queen’s 90th celebrations 12 June
  • Ramadan 6 June – 5 July
  • Father’s Day 19 June
  • Wimbledon 27 June – 10 July
  • Independence Day 4 July
  • Eid 7 July
  • Euros 2016 final 10 July
  • Rio Olympics 5 – 21 August
  • Summer Bank Holiday 29 August
  • Guy Fawkes 5 November
  • Remembrance Day 11 November
  • Diwali 30 November
  • Thanksgiving 24 November
  • Hanukkah 24 December – 1 January
  • Christmas Day 25 December
  • Boxing Day 26 December
  • Christmas Bank Holiday 27 December

Photography by Farrow Photography

First impressions count

First impressions count

According to the infamous shampoo advert, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Whilst you have been living and breathing all things to do with your wedding, the first time your guests have any idea about your big day is when your wedding invitation or save the date card lands on their doormat.

This important piece of mail will set the tone, theme and your guests’ expectations of your special occasion. What you say, when you send it, to whom you address it and what it looks like all provide the first experience your guests have of your wedding. So it’s really important that you pick your stationery wisely to make the best first impression.

Look out for a forthcoming post on the wording of your stationery. Meanwhile, focusing on what it looks like and to help you wade through the sea of stationery, the hugely talented Suzanne from Paper Tree Design has put together this guide to help you find the right stationery for your budget.

You have set a date and secured your venue so your mind turns to stationery, where to start? The options are endless and mind boggling, and when you are surfing stationery sites from the sofa sometimes it is difficult to understand why pricing can be so different between suppliers. When you are choosing your venue there are things to help you with this, star ratings, facilities and services, but when it comes to stationery the differences in service, technique and embellishments are what makes your stationery either basic or premium.

The Service

There are 4 levels of service in stationery that will effect the pricing, Off the shelf, semi-customised, customised, and bespoke, in short, the more time the stationer spends on making your stationery, the more it will cost:

1. Off the shelf –This is the cheapest option and is exactly as it sounds! You purchase a pack of pre-printed generic wedding cards for you to fill in the date, location and guest name. These are the cheapest because the supplier gets thousands printed at a time and there is no extra art working for the supplier to do.

2. Semi customised – This is where you choose an existing design from a supplier and they place your copy in to the invitation (venue, time and date etc.)

3. Customised – A customised design is where you have the option to personalise an existing design to fit in with your theme. This can include changing colours, having your initials added in to the design, and having a choice of card types or trims etc.

4. Bespoke – If you have a specific idea in mind for your stationery and you cannot find an existing design to reflect this, then bespoke is for you. You will work closely with the designer who will design something around your theme ideas. This is at the premium end of the stationery market because you are paying for a designer’s time to create something for you. If you are considering this option then it is wise to allow at least a month for a design to be fully approved and ready for production.

Paper Tree Design | Profile | stationery

The Product Quality

There are all sorts of card available for use in stationery in different weights (thickness), textures, and finishes, the thicker the card the more it costs, as it will any with specialist finishes and textures. The weight of card used can be the difference between an invitation looking ordinary or luxury so when you are comparing prices have a good look at what is being used, if it is not stated on the website then ask.

Paper Tree Design | paper sample books | stationery

When you start reading the information on a stationer’s website you will come across all sorts of terms, litho pint, digital print, letterpress, embossing, hot foiling, laser cut, paper cut, duplexed, spot varnish. What do they all mean? 

Printing – Printing on a invitation is more likely to be digitally printed these days as digital is suited to smaller quantities. Litho requires the making of a printing plate which makes small quantities much more expensive. A printed card on a standard board with no extra finishes or embellishments will always be the cheapest option. It is worth remembering that digital printing may not be suitable for some of the specialist papers.

Letterpress Printing – Letterpress is a traditional printing technique which involves inking a plate (printers tray filled with raised blocks) and pressing in on to the card stock, which leaves a deep impression. These days there are more hi-tech ways of making the printing plate but the process is the same. For small quantities it can be expensive but if you have a large number of guests it is more affordable.

Finishes

There are all sorts of lovely finishes that can turn a standard invitation in to something a bit more special, but bear in mind that for every finish you add cost. Below is a list of a few terms and what they mean:

1. Hot foiling – This adds metallic areas to the design.

2. Spot varnish – This adds a shiny or mat surface to areas of the design.

3. Embossing/ debossing  – This adds texture to the card, either raised (embossed) or pressed in to the card (debossed).

4. Duplexing – If a card is duplexed, it means it is made up of two different boards sandwiched together of different colour or texture.

Laser cut, die cut, paper cut

The process of cutting out shapes or patterns from card (or other materials), the main difference being if it is laser cut then the gaps in the design are burnt out with the laser, if it is described as die/machine/ paper cut then it is cut out using a tiny blade. Cut invitations are usually made up of 2 or 3 layers (the cut, an inlay card & printed insert) which makes for a more luxury product.

Paper Tree Design | production line | stationery

Trims

The use of ribbon, baker twine, crystals and other trims to finish off your stationery can really help to make it look special, but beware when you are looking at and comparing prices between stationers.  You may see a beautiful photo of your chosen stationery suite tied together with twine and finished with a gift tag or other embellishments, and the costs look in budget, however some stationers charge separately for these extra finishings and you can find yourself paying £1.00 or £2.00 more per invitation than you had budgeted for, for the invitation in the picture. Anything that has any element of hand finishing adds time and therefore cost to the stationery, so check the small print!

Top tips

1.     Help yourself – If you are really struggling for budget enquire about what could be provided in kit form in order to save on price.

2.     Buy in bulk – Think about all your stationery in one go from the outset (invites, order of service, name cards, table numbers, menus, table plans etc) rather than separate pieces at different times. You can save if you buy ‘before the day’ and ‘on the day’ stationery all from the same supplier.

3.     Compare the quality – Read the descriptions carefully and make a list of the differences in a notebook together with the prices, so you don’t forget when you start comparing price.

4.     Beware the hidden extras – Double check the price list and ask if it is not clear.

5.     It never harms to ask – If you have your heart set on something but you are worried it is out of your budget, then just ask if it can be modified to help with the price.

For more information go to www.papertreedesign.co.uk or contact suzanne@papertreedesign.co.uk
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To absent friends

To absent friends

Your wedding day is one of the happiest days of your life. When you look around the room you’ll see all the people that you love, however you may also notice all the people that are missing from the celebrations too.

Not to put a dampener on proceedings but inevitably there may be some people who won’t be able to join you on your big day perhaps due to distance, illness or because they have passed away. Telegrams are often traditionally read by those who couldn’t make it and sometimes a toast is raised to absent friends.Photography by Farrow PhotographyMy own wedding day was tinged with some sadness as my father suddenly passed away 9 weeks before we got married. It was a huge shock and at one point we considered whether we should postpone the wedding. I guess this is why we bought wedding insurance but I didn’t want to be sat around on our chosen date commenting that we would’ve been getting married today. We decided to go ahead and it gave our family something positive to focus on.

I certainly didn’t anticipate having to organise a funeral in the midst of wedding preparations but it did give me some clarity for the day. My father wasn’t around much when I was growing up and he wasn’t always that reliable. He had been unwell for some time prior to his death and so we didn’t know if he’d be well enough to be a part of the day at all, let alone even turn up. Or if he had turned up whether he’d been ill at the reception. Although it was unpleasant circumstances, at least I knew whether he would actually be there or not!

We had already asked my mum to do the ‘mother of the bride’ speech and my Grandad proudly walked me down the aisle (which was fitting as he was such an influential part of my life), and my husband toasted our absent friends in his speech. We didn’t want the day to be dominated by the recent sad events, so we chose not to do anything more public – everything was still too raw to cope with anything else.

I knew the day was going to be emotional but we also had this immense warm feeling of love from all our friends and family who were there and all knew about the ‘elephant in the room’. They were so caring, supportive and encouraging. sun through trees | Hanami DreamThere was torrential rain the day before we got married (it was August – thanks British weather!) and again the day after. Yet on the day of our wedding it was glorious sunshine and the grass was a lush green and the flowers were all blooming after being refreshed from the rain. In the car on the way to the church, my Grandad told me that he thought the sunshine was his late wife (my Nanny) shining down on us.

I know that my other Nan still watches our wedding DVD back frequently so that she can see her now late husband enjoying the day. The photos too are a snapshot of the people that were in our lives at that time and who we were fortunate to share our special day with. There were poignant moments but the sadness didn’t dictate the day. It was certainly a day of huge celebration. We didn’t forget those that has passed but we didn’t dwell on their passing.

Here are some suggestions of ways to privately or publicly remember lost loved ones at weddings:

  • Photographs – framed photos set up on a table or part of a family tree, hanging in photo charms on your bouquet, hanging from shoes or placed in a locket
  • Jewellery – wear heirlooms or gifts from the loved one, wear their wedding bands tied round an ankle or wrist, wear or melt down their wedding band to make your own
  • Embroidery – material from a piece of their clothing stitched in your wedding dress, use their handkerchiefs or ties, have monograms of their initials stitched in your dress
  • Candles – a lit candle in church or on a table in the reception
  • Flowers – use their favourite flower, have a single flower in a vase, put your bouquet on their grave afterwards
  • Ceremony – dedicate a reading to them, include a tribute in the order of service, get the celebrant to mention them
  • Chairs – have a reserved seat for them at the ceremony (although this may be a little emotional to see an empty chair there)
  • Reception – name tables after them, toast them in your speech, place a drink for them at the bar, use a special piece of music
  • Favours – donate to a relevant charity or place a charity pin as a favour
  • Releases – let balloons, Chinese lanterns or butterflies float off in to the sky

‘If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.’
A. A. Milne

Photography by Farrow Photography

If you like reading our blog then we’d really appreciate your support. So please vote for Hanami Dream in the wedding category of the UK Blog Awards #UKBA16 http://www.blogawardsuk.co.uk/ukba2016/my-entry/hanami-dream.

Voting is open until Monday 25th January 2016 at 9pm. You can vote once a day, so please keep voting for us.

 

New beginnings

New beginnings

We are nearly a week in to this brand new year already and I’m sad to be taking the Christmas decorations down with the arrival of Twelfth Night. I used to really enjoy Epiphany celebrations when I lived in France – eating the delicious galette des rois and finding the little charm so you could wear the king’s crown!

It is a bit of a relief to have the season of endless lists safely tucked away for another 11 months though (what with Christmas card lists, present lists and food shopping lists to name a few). Don’t get me wrong, I really like Christmas and I LOVE lists (hey, I’m a wedding planner, lists are what floats my boat!) but things seem to get a little crazy in December.

Then at the end of the year there always seems to be lots of compilations celebrating and commemorating the best bits of the year. Goodness, even Hanami Dream got in on the action this year with our top 10 most popular wedding blog posts in 2015 and our top 5 most popular blog posts overall in 2015. Some of our favourite compilations of the year included:

But I do love this time of year. It’s a time of new beginnings: a new year, new year’s resolutions (*see some of mine at the end of the article), new goals, new plans for the future and the days are finally getting longer again! It’s when our metaphorical diary is full of blank pages yet unwritten. It also seems to be a time when there are an abundance of engagement stories after Christmas or New Year proposals. And with Valentine’s Day just over a month away and it being a leap in 2016, we’re sure there’ll be a few more stories to add to the pot shortly.

So the start of the year often spurs on people to kickstart (or reignite) their wedding planning too. I adore weddings – which is a good thing really! Weddings are such a wonderful celebration of love and marriage. There’s not many times in your life that you have all the people that you care about in the same room at the same time and they’re all there just because two people fell in love with each other. When else would you bring all your circles together in one place? (even Google+ keeps your circles separate!)

For me, I always wanted to get married and admired both sets of my grandparents who celebrated their diamond wedding anniversaries (and beyond). I was determined to aspire to have the same thing for myself despite experiencing the sad adverse reality of my own parents’ marriage. On top of this, my romantic notion was peppered with weddings in films and television programmes that influenced my youth such as:

  • Scott & Charlene in Neighbours (I still can’t believe that programme has been going over 30 years!)
  • Charles & Diana (who can forget the puff ball sleeves and the huge long train!)
  • Monica & Chandler in Friends (how beautifully romantic to fall in love with your best friend)
  • The One with All the Wedding Dresses episode in Friends (even though my husband thinks it’s a crazy idea I still want a wedding dress party with my friends for my significant birthday in a few years’ time! I’ve no idea if I’ll be able to fit in my wedding dress by then – so maybe that’s another goal to add to the list!)
  • Pride & Prejudice (who didn’t fall in love with Colin Firth as Mr Darcy)
  • Four Weddings and a Funeral (the stammering Hugh Grant, the whole ‘will they, won’t they’ story line had me hooked)
  • Saved by the Bell (yes, Zack and Kelly did get married eventually after being childhood sweethearts. It was a cheesy episode set in Las Vegas but proved that your first love can be your last love too)
  • Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (how did Lois not spot that Superman and Clark Kent were one and the same gorgeous man?!)
  • Prince William & Kate (they got married the same year that we did so this event heightened the build up to our big day)

Probably the most influential and meaningful weddings that I was honoured to be a part of (prior to my own of course) were those of my two closest friends in July 2007 and August 2008. It was wonderful to be one their bridesmaids (although at the time I thought I was destined to only ever be a bridesmaid and not a bride. I even thought about being a professional bridesmaid at one point!) It feels so wonderful to share someone’s special day and be part of the wedding party.

I waited a long time for my own Prince Charming (honestly I thought the film 27 Dresses was written about me!) but was over the moon to have my own fairy tale day eventually. It was whilst planning my own wedding in 2011 that my real passion for wedding planning took over. I realised how precious it was to have all the people I cared about in one room at the same time. In the space of 18 months I encountered birth, death and marriage (not in that order!) which had a life changing effect on me. So my new beginning was to make Hanami Dream a reality. I decided I wanted to help others to celebrate their own personal milestones. I find that organising these types of occasions is much more rewarding than my old corporate life.

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This year has already started with great excitement as I am thrilled to be entered in the UK Blog Awards.**

If you like reading my blog then I’d really appreciate your support. So please vote for Hanami Dream in the wedding category of the UK Blog Awards #UKBA16 http://www.blogawardsuk.co.uk/ukba2016/my-entry/hanami-dream

Voting is open until Monday 25th January 2016 at 9pm. You can vote once a day, every day for 3 whole weeks! So please keep voting.

Thank you and Happy New Year!

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*Some of my resolutions for this year include learning to hula hoop (I always think it’s something that I should be able to do but confirm the opposite when I pick one up! And I hope this skill is easier to pick up than the year I attempted to learn the running man!), eating more veggie meals (I’m currently in love with Lorraine Pascale’s Eat Well Made Easy recipe book) and moisturising more often (hmm, with two small children and a husband to look after, time to myself is often in short supply so we’ll see how this one goes!) Hopefully I’ll be able to manage at least one of these by the end of the year!

**More than just a wedding blog, Hanami Dream Wedding and Special Occasion Organisers provide inspiration and help you to celebrate the personal milestones of your life. The blog looks at wedding tips, trends and traditions with real life stories and examples from my own family history. Looking at examples from the past and future trends to provide inspiration to couples who are wedding planning and celebrating milestone occasions.