As well as general wedding planning chat, this week there’s a wedding traditions quiz (just for fun!) Tweet your replies (answers at the end of #UKWedLunch)
Here we go… QUESTION 1: Why are church bells rung at the end of a wedding ceremony? #UKWedLunch
QUESTION 2: Which is said to be the unluckiest month to get married in? #UKWedLunch
QUESTION 3: In Victorian times, what did brides use as a code to convey hidden meanings? #UKWedLunch
QUESTION 4: What do Greek brides put in their gloves for good luck? #UKWedLunch
QUESTION 5: In Holland, what is planted outside a newly married couple’s home as a symbol of fertility? #UKWedLunch
QUESTION 6: What would happen if the single guests slept with a slice of wedding cake under their pillow? #UKWedLunch
Hope you’ve had fun! Here are the answers: A1= drive away evil spirits, A2= May, A3= flowers, A4= sugar cubes, A5= pine tree, A6= dream of future spouse #UKWedLunch
Look forward to seeing you again in next Wednesday 1-2pm for more wedding planning chat and celebrating achievements. All the very best for a very Happy Easter! #UKWedLunch
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DRESS IN WHITE: Will your dress be white/ivory or will you break with tradition?
MATCHING BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES: Will your bridesmaids have matching dresses or will you mismatch styles or colours?
UNLUCKY TO SEE BRIDE BEFORE THE WEDDING: Will you opt to capture a ‘first look’ shot instead of following this tradition?
THROWING THE BOUQUET: Will you throw your flowers or give them to longest married guests after anniversary dance?
TOP TABLE: Will you sit your parents, best man and chief bridesmaid at the front or have your own table to yourself?
WEDDING GIFTS: Will you ask for things for the home or experiences or honeymoon vouchers?
Whichever customs and traditions you decide to incorporate into your big day, Hanami Dream wish you health, wealth, happiness and all the very best in your married life.
After you’ve decided when your special day will be and sorted the major elements of your guest list, venue and budget (or the who, where and how much of what I term the ‘holy trinity of wedding planning‘) then you’re in to the nitty gritty of things.
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Last October, Cogges Manor Farm hosted their first Wedding Open Day to showcase their wonderful barns and garden along with some highly talented, local suppliers who specialise in offering unique, bespoke and professional wedding services.
Photography by Ric Mellis
Photography by Ric Mellis
Photography by Ric Mellis
Photography by Ric Mellis
Photography by Ric Mellis
Photography by Ric Mellis
Cogges Manor Farm is nestled in the lovely market town of Witney and offers two stunning seventeenth century barns for weddings. They are a perfect blank canvas where you can add loads of personalised details to make your special day complete.
At their Open Day, the Wheat Barn was dressed for an English country garden wedding, complete with beautiful pale pink accents and bird details, a hay bale aisle and framed ceremony focal point.
Photography by Hanami Dream
The barn was adorned with swashes of fairy lights (from Oakwood Events) across the beams giving the barn a warm romantic atmosphere.
Photography by Ric Mellis
The highly talented Paper Tree Design hung an impressive flower decorated heart (made from Tyvek) under the huge gilded frame, acting as a ceremony alter for the day. Wild rose paper garlands (printed with a pink gradient and threaded on to organza ribbon) hung behind the frame and were highlighted against the huge pink barn doors.
Photography by Paper Tree Design
A bird cage inspired seating plan was proudly displayed on a mirror, which reflected the soft light and guided people further in to the barn.
Photography by Paper Tree Design
Tables were decorated by Larkrise Flowers with an abundance of delicate and charming flowers, some sourced from the venue’s own walled garden, along with wheat (providing a nod to the venue’s wheat barn heritage).
Flowers on the top table (displayed in a terracotta urn) included:
Rosa “Pink Avalanche”
Rosa “Lazise”
Eustoma “Arena Pink”
Astrantia roma
Sedum spectabile
Eucalyptus nicholii – foliage
Euonymus – foliage
Asparagus fern – foliage
There were also English hydrangea heads in aged terracotta pots and echeveria secunda glauca in white pots, as well as plants of mixed herbs (rosemary, oregano, marjoram, thyme) and bellis perennis (daisies) in more terracotta pots.
The addition of succulents brought this tablescape bang up to date with mixed sempervivens under glass domes, plus mixed baby gourds, birch slices, glass storm lanterns and glass tea light holders making the table feel extremely plentiful.
In front of the top table ran a stunning floor display of pink cactus dahlias, verbena bonariensis, hedera foliage, wheat, sedum spectabile, and 3 types of grasses (lagurus ovatus, panicum, and setaria).
Photography by Ric Mellis
Stationery from Paper Tree Design complimented the stunning floral displays. From their Tree of Hearts wedding stationery range, this included:
Robin name card – tent cards with pop out robins
Menu card – individual menus printed on Harvest Colorplan card-stock
Wild roses with tie on name cards – hand made paper wild roses with luggage tag style name cards tied on with natural bakers twine
Wild rose heads – small handmade paper wild rose heads used to decorate the tablescape
Robin & Wildflower table numbers – made from off white card and mounted on to sticks and decorated with bakers twine (these numbers can also be made for use with number stands or freestanding)
Robin & Wild Flower top table sign – made from off white card and mounted on to a stick and decorated with bakers twine (this can also be made for use with number stands or freestanding)
Photography by Hanami Dream
Vintage props were provided by Mabel and Rose including old suitcases, ladders, milk churns and barrels.
The whole effect gave an example of one direction you could take to make this venue your own – a real abundance of local, natural products with a feeling of bringing the outside inside.
By the way – get Sunday 17th September in your diary. It is this year’s Wedding Open Day at Cogges. So go along to see this venue in all it’s glory or contact them in the meantime for an earlier look round.
Huge congratulations if you’re currently planning your forthcoming wedding (or another milestone occasion). I hope that you’re enjoying the wedding planning process so far. Take a look at this handy wedding planning timeline and other tips to help you get started.
JUST ENGAGED: Set the budget, date & guest list so you can pick a venue and planner
11-12 MONTHS TO GO: Book photographer, florist and caterer, pick your attendants, get insurance & think about decor
8-10 MONTHS TO GO: Book officiant and band, register for gifts, book honeymoon, buy dress & pick stationery
6-7 MONTHS TO GO: Pick cake, buy bridesmaids dresses, send save the date, trial hair and make up & taste menu
3-5 MONTHS TO GO: Book transport, hire suits, pick accessories, buy rings, order favours and decide on decor
1-2 MONTHS TO GO: Send invitations, finalise menu, write vows, confirm numbers, create seating plan & complete schedule
After you’ve decided when your special day will be and sorted the major elements of your guest list, venue and budget (or the who, where and how much of what I term the ‘holy trinity of wedding planning‘) then you’re in to the nitty gritty of things.
Sign up to receive the latest wedding planning tips, tools, trends and traditions straight to your inbox.
As well as general wedding planning chat, today we look at anniversaries – whether it’s your 0th, 10th, 25th, 30th or 40th #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 1: Anniversary gifts increase in value to reflect the time the couple have invested in their marriage and each other #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 2: Buy your new spouse an 0th anniversary present to celebrate your wedding day such as cuff links, jewellery or a photo album #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 3a: Have an anniversary dance at a wedding instead of throwing the bouquet… #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 3b: … All couples come on dance floor. One by one, couples are asked to sit down during the song based on the length of their time together… #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 3c: …The last couple on the dance floor will be the longest-married couple and they receive the bouquet #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 4: There are traditional and modern anniversary themes plus flowers and gemstones per wedding anniversary year #UKWedLunch
This week’s top tips are taken from ‘Happy Wedding Anniversary!‘ Good luck making plans for a new anniversary! #UKWedLunch
As well as general wedding planning chat, next week’s theme will be on ‘wedding themes’ #UKWedLunch
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After you’ve decided 
