by Hanami Dream | 29, September, 2016 | blog, tips
AS FEATURED ON BRIDE MAGAZINE:
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 may have any idea about your big day is when your wedding invitation or save the date card lands on their doormat.
Here’s my guide to planning and sending your wedding stationery to make sure that first impression counts:
why
There are many reasons why it is important to send invitations. Firstly, you want to share your good news with people and to invite them to celebrate your special day with you. Knowing how many guests are going to be at your wedding will also give you a clearer idea of the number of people to cater for and the venue size required.
But this is about more than just logistics, this important piece of mail will set the scene, the tone, the theme and your guests’ expectations of your special occasion. It also acts as way to educate and organise your guests so that they know what is expected of them too.
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 plan your stationery wisely to make the best first impression.
how
There are three different routes you could go down with your invitations – the traditional way of sending out paper stationery, the more technological (and environmentally friendly) path, or a combination of the old and new which might involve paper invites but collating the RSVPs electronically.
Whichever route you take, it’s great to
- coordinate the stationery with the theme of your wedding
- coordinate all the stationery as a whole
- ensure that you have a consistent look and feel with everything that you do online and offline
- order all your paper stationery at the same time to save on costs
- don’t forget to factor in the cost of envelopes and stamps to your budget
Bear in mind that the more people you invite, the more postage you’ll have to spend and then multiple this by how many times you send different stationery from the suite (ie save the date cards, invites, added info etc).
what
Think of your wedding as a big marketing campaign – you need to consider promotion of it before, during and follow up afterwards to get the best results (and response) from your audience! A well informed guest is a happy one and communication is key so your guests don’t encounter too many unforeseen surprises that they haven’t accounted for.
Here is the full suite of paper stationery to consider. I’ve included some US trends that we are starting to see more of in the UK especially in more formal weddings (of course this list covers all types and styles of wedding day, so omit the elements that do not suit your big day):
Pre-wedding day
- Engagement announcements
- Engagement party invitations
- Be my bridesmaid / best man cards
- Hen party / stag do invitations
- Save the date cards
- Wedding invitations
- Information sheets
- Schedule of the Day
- Accommodation
- Gift list
- Map / directions
- Special requests (ie diet / high chair etc)
- Song requests
- RSVP cards
- Rehearsal dinner invitations
On the wedding day
- Order of service / Programme
- Table plan / Escort cards
- Table numbers
- Place name cards
- Menus
- Signage / labels
- Pew cards / reserved seating
- Favours
- Buffet food
- Post box
- Guest book
Post wedding day
- Thank you cards
- Cake boxes
when
Pre-wedding day
- 10-12 months before the wedding day – send your save the date cards (or add a note in Christmas cards to save on additional postage).
- 4-6 months before the wedding day – send out the invitations (consider sending them out in waves if you want to see how many people reply positively and then decide whether you could ‘bump up’ any evening guests to be all day guests if you have some people that can’t make it). Include extra information documents to provide details of the day and give the guests details of how to contact you to confirm their attendance. Put a date on the invites to tell guests when you need to have their RSVP back to you.
- 6-8 weeks before the wedding day – check any last minute changes to your guest list and chase any outstanding RSVPs so that the table plan and place cards can be produced and you have a final number for order of services and menus for the day.
Post wedding day
- asap after the wedding day – send out wedding cake in boxes to any friends or relatives that couldn’t make the big day.
- 2 weeks-3 months after the wedding day – etiquette dictates that a you should respond to people in a polite time frame as soon as you receive their gift (or as soon as possible after your return from honeymoon) to thank people for their gifts and attendance.
who
Once you’ve decided on what you’re going to send and when you are going to send it, you need to consider who the invite is going to and who it is coming from.
If your wedding day is going to be quite casual then your invitations should reflect this, whereas if it’s formal then the style and wording of the invites will be different to fit with this theme. The look and feel should mirror the content too.
There are so many variations on what you write inside the invite, as there are many factors that will influence the wording of stationery. For example, every family has different circumstances, it depends who is ‘hosting’ the wedding and often who is paying for the wedding. Here’s my advice on the elements to include which can be adjusted for all the different scenarios:
- Start the invite with who is hosting the wedding (whether this be the couple, the bride’s parent/s, groom’s parent/s, both sets of parents, or a mix of all of the above)
- Use ‘request the pleasure of your company’ (or can be more casually put like ‘please join us’)
- Write in the passive 3rd person for a more formal style
- List the bride before the groom (use bride’s first and middle names only for formal invites, plus groom’s full title)
- Include the time, date, month, year
- Indicate the venue with full address
- Note if there is a reception or meal afterwards (including when and where this will be held)
- Provide RSVP date and return address
To avoid confusion, it is often better to be really specific about who you are inviting and to which parts of the day they are invited to, so that they are not left in any doubt. Other things to note (so that all guests are on the same page) is whether there will be:
- a dress code
- children invited
- plus ones for single guests
Above all else, ensure that your invitations (and other stationery) reflect your personality and the look and feel of your special day. As long as you’ve got the important information on them (who, when, what, where) you can then add your own personal touches so that it fits your wedding day.
[Photography credits – Paper Tree Design]
by Hanami Dream | 19, September, 2016 | blog, trends
It’s almost ironic that as soon as the weather is taking a more autumnal direction that I should start to think about next year’s springtime! Yes, the leaves might be changing colour, there may be conkers on the ground and I have even spotted mince pies in the shops today! But this is the exciting time of year when those lovely folks at Pantone® compile their top ten colours for the following spring.
We are in the throes of London Fashion Week at the moment in the UK, which is hot on the heels of New York Fashion Week (NYFW). The experts at Pantone® watched the colour trends as they happened at NYFW, with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), and compiled their top 10 colour fashion report as a result of what they saw on the catwalks. There were about 119 different shows to watch at NYFW so it’s no mean feat for them to record how many people are using variants of colours. Interestingly there were a number of collections that grouped lots of colours together and gave some amazing combinations.
So, after I was left quite disappointed with the Fall 2016 report, I needed something to regain my faith and the Spring 2017 colours have done this in abundance!
Don’t get me wrong they haven’t reinvented the wheel – its a happy evolution from the 2016 Spring colour palette. What is really striking though is the dominance and prevalence of one colour in particular. Blue appears in varying shades, such as Niagara (a denim blue), Lapis Blue (a great navy colour named after a stunning semi precious gemstone) and Island Paradise (a cooling turquoise). These take the 1st, 3rd and 5th spots respectfully on the list and are beautifully relaxing, calming and proving that, according to Pantone®, these colours ‘offer options that are not just typical of seasons’ but a great transition between the seasons.
Plus it’s great to see that the supporting, accent colours are not subtle and withdrawn – its out with pastel and in with party pops of vibrant citrus colours in the form of Primrose Yellow, Flame, Greenery and Pink Yarrow. You’d be forgiven to picture slices of lemon, orange, lime or watermelon adorning glasses of long, cool summer cocktails, enjoyed whilst laying in a hammock on a tropical island paradise.
This palette of ten fresh and vibrant colours brings bright, light and sunny colours to help us get through the next few darker months! The names of the colours also add to the vision of spring flowers popping up with primroses, yarrow, dogtooth and luscious foliage (in the form of Kale). Teamed up nicely with a lovely neutral (Hazelnut) for a real flavour of nature.
There’s still some influence of the 2016 colours of the year and Pale Dogtooth is certainly reminiscent of Rose Quartz.
The top ten colours for Spring 2017 are:
- PANTONE 17-4123 Niagara
- PANTONE 13-0755 Primrose Yellow
- PANTONE 19-4045 Lapis Blue
- PANTONE 17-1462 Flame
- PANTONE 14-4620A Island Paradise
- PANTONE 13-1404 Pale Dogwood
- PANTONE 15-0343 Greenery
- PANTONE 17-2034 Pink Yarrow
- PANTONE 18-0107 Kale
- PANTONE 14-1315 Hazelnut
It’ll be great to see how couples incorporate these colours in to their weddings next spring. If some of the unusual colour combinations from NYFW are anything to go by then we are in for some vibrant and tropical colour partnerships plus perhaps some beautiful blue gemstone décor.
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’ve been desperate for a yellow or an orange colour to get top billing for a couple of years and I cross everything that Primrose Yellow (or even Flame) could even be the Colour of the Year in 2017 (or will it be two colours again?!) I can’t wait for the release of the news in December to find out!
by Hanami Dream | 13, September, 2016 | blog, inspiration
A beautiful sunny late August bank holiday saw the wedding of Vikki and Dan at Cogges Manor Farm in 2015.
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Photography by Neil Hanson
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Cogges Manor Farm is nestled in the lovely market town of Witney and offers two stunning seventeenth century barns for weddings. This is a special location for the happy couple who are regular visitors to this local venue. Plus it was a perfect blank canvas for them to add loads of personalised details to the day with hessian, white lace, dusky pink ribbons and roses. This wonderful rustic rose pink barn wedding was captured by Neil Hanson Photography.
The bride and her attendants arrived in style in a white carriage pulled by two pristine white horses courtesy of Fabulous Occasions – what a way to make an entrance! The bride wore an exquisite low back white wedding dress which consisted of a figure hugging satin underdress with a lace overlay which had a beautiful V-neck as well as a breath taking deep V-back. This was purchased from Proposals in Witney and is by Essence of Australia. The bride searched for a long time to perfectly colour match the ribbon sash herself, in order to coordinate it with the colour scheme of the day, and then attached a lace appliqué to the new ribbon.
She carried a magnificent bouquet by Distinctive Petals which included peonies, David Austin roses, wheat, gypsophila (baby’s breath), astilbe (false goat’s beard) and amnesia roses. The wheat echoed the venue’s wheat barn heritage and featured in several of the displays during the day. The peonies were also a pleasant surprise for the bride – these are her favourite flower but she wasn’t sure if she would be able to get them out of season but the wonderful florist pulled it out of the bag on the day!
The wedding continued to wow as the bride entered the picturesque barns adorned with hand-made bunting in vintage floral material, fairy lights strewn over the beams from UBE Lighting and she walked down an aisle made of straw bales covered in the same coordinating pink and white fabric. Once the ceremony was over, the guests mingled around the courtyard of the farm and enjoyed the glorious sunshine. They were able to find their names on an ingenious floral seating plan with potted plants of hydrangeas, lavender and roses stood in a wooden crate pyramid.
The table names were named after the bride and groom’s favourite local walks (their own pet names for the walks rather than their official names). For example, Fields of Love was the name of the top table which is the name they gave to the field where they were walking their dogs when they said they loved each other for the first time! The guests all sat down to enjoy a picnic courtesy of local caterer, Abigail’s Kitchen. Tables had a rustic feel and flowers were displayed in clear glass jam jars and milk bottles decorated with twine and fabric and stood on wooden slices (all supplied by the florist).
All the stationery was put together by the bride using recycled card, tags and twine bought from Razzle Dazzle Rose (who also printed their invite cards). Another wonderful personal touch was the carrot seed favours which were a nod to their romantic proposal of carrots spelling out ‘Will you marry me’ in an allotment. Read more about how the groom spelt it out in this real life romantic proposal stories blog post.
Before their first dance, the happy couple cut the charming ivory four tier wedding cake, with hand piped filigree highlighted with pearl lustre and decorated with a selection of varying shades of dusty pink sugar roses, beautifully made by The Pretty Cake Company.
The guests enjoyed a succulent hog roast from The Oxfordshire Pig Company, then danced the night away whilst Mark Cortez sang and the sun set on an amazing and truly memorable wedding day!
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Photography by Neil Hanson
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Photography by Neil Hanson
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by Hanami Dream | 11, August, 2016 | blog, tips
AS FEATURED ON BRIDE MAGAZINE:
Once you’re over the hurdle of preparing your guest list and the headache of waiting (and chasing) for RSVPs, it will be time to decide where to seat your nearest and dearest for your wedding breakfast.
Take a look at our 10 point guide on how (and where) to seat your wedding guests to help you through what can be another tricky juggling act of keeping everyone happy. There’s etiquette, tradition, logistics, safety & practicalities to consider (as well as who Aunty Vera may have fallen out with) so that all can see and been seen by the bridal party.
1) size and shape
Firstly, establish what is possible at your venue. What could you fit in to the room? What is already available there? You need to think about the space, tables and chairs. Taking in to account the size, shape and style of these three elements. Count the number of tables and determine how many chairs can fit around the different shapes of table. This amount should accommodate your final guest numbers.
2) style of meal
How you lay out the tables can be dictated by the style of food that you will be serving. For example, if you’re having a casual meal or buffet then you may opt for guests to pick their own places when they’ve got their food rather than a formal sit down meal where everyone has an allocated place setting. To get guests to mix up, you could provide a bowl of numbers and people pick out their table number as they enter the reception.
3) structure
The formation of the tables will depend on their shape and the atmosphere you want to create. Family style sharing meals work well on rectangle banquet tables with benches on either side. Laying long tables in a horseshoe or T shape creates a focal point of the bridal party. Whilst round tables surrounded by chairs can cluster groups together for good interaction. Square tables give a great modern feel and don’t feel restricted to use a uniform type of table – mix and match shapes and sizes to suit your needs.
4) standard
Traditionally there is a head (or top) table containing at least the happy couple. In addition, etiquette suggests their parents, along with chief bridesmaid and groomsman join this long table facing the guests so that everyone can view the top table (eg Chief Bridesmaid, Groom’s Father, Bride’s Mother, Groom, Bride, Bride’s Father, Groom’s Mother, Best Man). Working away from this focal point, others from the wedding party are grouped near to the top table, followed by closest relatives, then friends, and finally colleagues.
5) substitutes
Let’s face it, you can have whoever you want on the top table (or no top table at all!) Nowadays there are many alternative schemes to factor in different family circumstances and partnerships. The top table could be round rather than rectangle so the wedding party get to chat too. The top table could just contain the two most important members of the day whilst the rest of the bridal party host their own family members on separate tables. Sometimes brides and grooms choose to sit at a different table for each course to mingle with all their guests.
6) special considerations
As well as knowing how many people you’re seating, you’ll need to factor in any accessibility requirements for any young, elderly or incapacitated guests such as incorporating requests for highchairs. People with any tasks to carry out during the meal or speeches should be able to get out of their place easily too. There’s always a temptation to match make with a singles table, though my advice would always be to keep people with people they already know (and like). Tradition suggests alternating men and women around a table.
7) system
How to plan who sits where is a fine and delicate art often thrown by last minute cancellations and feuds. There are lots of online planning tools, apps and software available to help solve this issue. However, nothing beats a large piece of paper containing the floor plan of your room with blank tables drawn in the right places. Then get some small coloured sticky tabs in perhaps three colours (for men, women and children). Write each guest’s name on the relevant coloured tab and stick these around the table templates until you’re happy with the seating combinations.
8) selecting tables
There are many options and ways to personalise your tables including the names you give each table or how you number them. One of my favourites at the moment is showing a picture of both of the happy couple at the age that the table number corresponds with.
9) seating plan
There a couple of options to ensure that guests get to the table you’ve allocated to them. Firstly, you can display a seating plans of the different tables listing which guests are sat at each table. Ideally have a couple of these plans to avoid everyone bunching around one and placing it outside of the room for people to view it ahead of time to avoid a rush on entry. Alternatively, escort cards can be displayed (perhaps alphabetically) which each contain the name of a guest along with the table name/number where they are to be seated. In both scenarios, place name cards on the table can show guests where to sit or they could pick their own seat.
10) seating at ceremonies
It’s not just the reception to consider but you may want to offer a modern take on where people sit at the ceremony too. Traditionally in a religious building, the Bride’s family sit on the left of the premises and the Groom’s sit on the right. However, many people are asking their guests to pick a seat not a side. Plus if the venue is less formal you can move away from rows of chairs and opt for a circle around the couple or even a spiral of chairs working inwards to the couple.
by Hanami Dream | 19, July, 2016 | blog, tips
If your big day is just around the corner, you may be getting down to the nitty gritty of confirming all the final numbers with the caterer and venue, finishing off making favours, as well as starting the wonderful part of beautifying yourself in preparation for the big day.
Even if you’re armed with the best schedule in the world (my forte by the way!) there are always a few minor things that crop up on the day that you can’t prevent or avoid. However, you can be prepared and plan for some eventualities.
Here is Hanami Dream’s wedding day survival kit list for brides and grooms. It is not an exhaustive list but contains some items that I have found to be useful to carry (or better still get one of your trusty attendants to) on your wedding day to combat any little hiccups.
- Blotting paper – dab away any sweat or ‘shine’ on your face
- Chalk – to cover up any scuff marks on a white wedding dress
- Double sided tape – to avoid any ‘wardrobe malfunctions’
- Floss – to keep your smile looking at it’s best for all those pictures
- Foot insoles – to save your feet for all that dancing
- Hair bands, comb & pins – anything to keep your ‘do’ under control during the day
- Mints – for fresh breath for the first kiss (as well all the meet and greats)
- Nail file – to get rid of any snags
- Nail vanish – clear polish is good for stopping pulls in your tights turning in to ladders
- Paracetamol – light pain relief so you don’t have a headache for your first night together
- Plasters – in case of blisters from your amazing wedding shoes
- Rescue remedy – amazing herbal drops to keep you calm
- Safety pins – in case anything comes undone
- Sewing kit – for minor repairs like sewing on buttons
- Straws – so your lipstick stays in tact (and not on your glass) whilst you sip your drink
- Tissues – for dabbing away tears (hopefully of joy!)
- Tweezers – to get rid of any stray hairs
- Water – a small bottle on hand will make sure you don’t get dehydrated or a dry mouth when saying your vows
- Wet wipes – to freshen up during the day!
There are plenty of pre-made kits on the market that you can buy to fulfil the need for an emergency kit. However it’s lots of fun to pick and pack your own things that are personal and relevant for you and your big day. Perhaps you could prepare some for your bridal party or maybe your bridesmaids might assemble one for you.
What would you add to this list? I’d love to hear any of your suggestions (in the comments below) for items you’d have in your wedding survival kit.
by Hanami Dream | 21, June, 2016 | blog, tips
Great street food and amazing pop-up restaurants have been on the rise in the foodie world for a number of years, so it’s not surprising that this trend has made it’s way in to the wonderful world of weddings.
It was fantastic to see such an array of highly talented local caterers and produce at last month’s Witney Festival of Food and Drink. This wealth of local products and producers was celebrated again at Blenheim Palace Food Festival and it won’t be long until Jamie Oliver and Alex James’s Big Feastival over the August Bank Holiday in Kingham in the Cotswolds. These events make me realise that we have some amazing food grown and made nearby in the beautiful Cotswolds.
A food revolution and revival has certainly been occurring over the last few years and our tastes, experiences and cultures are broadening our options and are making food a real focus and meal times a real event. The origins of where food comes from, organic products and responsible sourcing is becoming more transparent and giving people the opportunity to buy local.
Alongside the popularity of festival and bohemian style weddings, having catering vans to prepare and serve your guests on site is fast becoming a great addition to any outside wedding. These are not your football ground style burger vans, this is top end, street food done exceptionally well. They come complete and often travel with their own kitchen (keeping additional catering equipment hire costs to a minimum). These are all encompassing and absolutely delicious options to keep your guests’ mouths watering and coming back for more.
Nowadays, there’s a catering van to suit most themes, budgets and palates from all around the globe such as: pizza, burritos, sushi, curry, hog roast, waffles, fish and chips, jacket potatoes, doughnuts and crepes. Plus food catering for a selection of different dietary requirements (look out for a blog post on this topic very close to my heart coming very soon!)
So here is my pick of some of the top wedding catering vans in and around Witney (in Oxfordshire and the surrounding Cotswolds):
ChilliDogs
ChilliDogs cater for events, festivals and weddings with their handcrafted hot dogs and real-deal nachos, fully loaded with the ultimate chilli con carne and their infamous cheese fondue.
All their food is made using premium ingredients sourced from local suppliers. Their sausages for example are handcrafted to their unique recipe by a local smokehouse, their hot dogs are made from 90% British pork, double beechwood smoked for a deep satisfying flavour, their chilli is cooked for over 8 hours for the ultimate rich flavour. ChilliDogs don’t do compromise.
Gourmet nachos and hot dogs are great for weddings as they are great social food and cater for all tastes – from chilli cheese dogs for those with big appetites to simple classic dogs for those who like to keep it simple!
@ChilliDogs
Goujon Monkey
Goujon Monkey are an Oxfordshire based gourmet street food caterer offering traditional favourites with a modern twist.
They pride themselves on serving the finest quality street food available, using only the freshest ingredients. All of their food is cooked from scratch and served from a lovingly restored vintage Citroen H van.
With menus to suit different tastes including their hand prepared Beer Battered Cod, Goujon Monkey offer a unique addition to your big day.
When they’re not serving delicious food at weddings and other private events, you can find them at various festivals and street food gatherings in and around Oxford.
goujonmonkey
@goujonmonkey
I’m Japanese
Set up 6 years ago by Momo, based in Oxford. She sells freshly cooked, hot Japanese food from her street food van. She moved to Oxford from a small place in Mie prefecture, Japan twenty years ago. Growing up in a Buddhist temple she helped her mother and grandmother prepare food for guests and learnt how to cook and present traditional Japanese food. She wanted people to know more about Japanese food, not just sushi! So she started selling ‘maki sushi’ which is home-made, rolled sushi along with other things like Japanese fried chicken, edamame beans, miso soup and traditional rolled omelettes at a local farmers’ markets.
Now more than hot food they trade from a street food van in Woodstock Road in Oxford (outside the old Infirmary, opposite the Royal Oak pub) with an expanded menu.
They are very proud that they offer true Japanese food. They can also cater for events and parties either at a venue or a private home. Their catering style is flexible so can be customised to suit your event.
@Im_Japanese
@findusinOxford
Little Retro Kitchen
Little Retro Kitchen is a brand new build catering trailer, inspired by American Airstream and has just reached it’s second birthday. They are based in Worcestershire, but can travel and cater for any occasion. They pride themselves on using local produce, and have the highest hygiene standard of Hygiene 5 rating.
Amongst other things, they serve Worcestershire Gourmet Burgers topped with local cheeses, wild rocket & onions. Cheese choices are Worcester Gold (creamy tangy cheddar), Chilli Cheese or Worcester Sauce & Shallot Cheese. Plus sides of fries and rainbow coleslaw. They also offer a Wedding Cheese Cake supplied with biscuit selection, chutneys & grapes, as well as wedding breakfasts with dry cured bacon baps.
Little Retro Kitchen is a great visual at any event, with their colour change lighting and illuminated roof sign, that looks great when it’s dark too.
@OfficialLRK
Little Retro Kitchen
@Little Retro Kitchen Party Catering & Events
@LittleRetroKitchen
Lucabuca
Lucabuca was formed from a love of a good party & especially good food. Having been in the events industry for over 15 years it seemed natural to create something that could add an attractive & delicious dimension to weddings, festivals, pop-ups & parties. The love of fresh ingredients, authentic Italian food and taking pleasure from helping people to celebrate the special times in their lives enabled Lucabuca to be born. Add in bright red, sparkly lights telling everyone what we do, an authentic vintage pop up with our wood fired pizza oven, custom made gazebo, foliage, ladders & stools and you’ve got the perfect beautiful Italian detailed furnishings to add to any party!
@lucabucapizza
@lucabucapizza
@lucabucapizza
The Souvlaki Brothers
The Souvlaki Brothers is owned and managed by two Greek brothers, Panny and Yiannis, who set the business up with one simple goal – to provide the most delicious Greek street food possible!
They believe in keeping things simple – make one product REALLY well. They specialise in souvlaki; a choice of chargrilled marinated pork, succulent lemon chicken or grilled halloumi wrapped in traditional fluffy pita bread with homemade tzatziki, fresh tomato and onion salad, a scattering of crunchy french fries, and a secret combination of herbs and seasonings.
This fresh, extremely tasty street-food has somewhat gone under the radar in this country up until now, and The Souvlaki Brothers are leading a charge to change that, with what they believe is the most authentic version of their favourite food (and maybe even some Greek dancing along the way…)
Quick to serve, portable and with minimal packaging, their souvlaki are perfect at events, festivals and weddings, providing a new and exciting food option for hungry crowds and a slice of Mediterranean sunshine!
@souvlakibros
@thesouvlakibrothers
@SouvlakiBrothers
And not forgetting this selection of other delicious helpings:
My tummy is rumbling just thinking about all this food! We are lucky to be surrounded by such great local products and producers of sumptuous meals to accompany our special occasions. #keepitlocal
Bon appetite!
by Hanami Dream | 2, June, 2016 | blog, holy trinity of wedding planning, tips
So far in the series, I’ve introduced the three key aspects of planning a wedding that pretty much affect every other thing that is connected with your big day. These are who, where and how much (otherwise known as your guests, venue and budget). This group of three things are very much intertwined. Plus when you hold your wedding is connected too! As previously covered (in the who post), 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 where element and your all-important choice of venue (and will look at the last element in the trinity of how much another time).
Finding the right venue that is available at the right time, for the right price, for the right number of guests will be one of the first (and trickiest) parts of planning your wedding. But once you’ve decided on this element everything else will seem like a doddle! Before venue hunting, have a rough idea of your budget and how many guests you want to share the day with you. (I told you that the where, who and how much elements would come in to play.) And have an idea of when you want it to take place too. See my top tips below to give you an idea of some other factors to help you decide the place where you’ll say ‘I do’.
Nowadays, the world is pretty much your oyster in terms of options available. If you’ve seen ‘Don’t Tell the Bride’, you’ll realise that you can get married in all types of places!
1.Where in the world
Maybe you don’t fancy risking the British weather and want to get married outside of the UK, to jet off or elope. Destination weddings are certainly an attractive proposition and usually mean that all the details get handled for you by the hotel where you are staying. Plus you get your honeymoon and wedding all rolled in to one.
However, it’s worth considering that going abroad could limit who can come to the wedding (here’s the trinity coming in to play again) as not everyone will be able to afford to attend or elderly relatives may not be well enough to travel. Plus, just remember that whoever does come will be with you for your honeymoon too! Guests would have to factor in more time to attend the wedding, so the time of year that you have your wedding may also affect whether they could come.
Before booking your tickets, you should also check the legalities of your chosen country as it may be more hassle than it’s worth to be legally wed in that country (translating of documents, time and effort etc) so you may chose to do the legal bit at home before or after the glamourous beach part. (Don’t forget to make sure your passport matches the name you are travelling under – it might be best to travel under your maiden name unless there is time to get your passport changed before you travel. (See my checklist of other documents and organisations to tell about your change of name.)
2.Pinpoint the location
Once you’ve decided on whether you’re getting married home or abroad, then you need to narrow down the location and think about:
- Which country?
- Which region?
- Which town?
- Will it be in or out of town?
- Would the venue be easy to find?
All these factors will impact on travel costs and timings. Guests will need to consider whether they need to factor in overnight accommodation as well. Plus if your wedding is not near where you live you may not be able to visit the venue many times before the big day or meet with suppliers face to face to view products in advance.
Think about how far away the ceremony venue is from the reception venue in terms of distance but also timings. Depending on what time of day you’re getting married it may conflict with rush hour or school runs that could affect traffic and people travelling between locations.
Wherever you get married, if you are having a Church of England wedding ceremony, your Banns (an announcement of your intention to marry) need to be read in the parish where each of you lives as well as the church where you will be getting married (if this is somewhere different). So if you plan to attend the reading of your Banns, it might be harder if you have to travel far.
3.Formalities
What kind of day do you want? Perhaps you’ve already got your Pinterest boards at the ready (goodness knows how we ever planned anything before Pinterest!) If not, how do you envisage your wedding day? The style of wedding that you want will influence the venue you choose so think about whether you want something that is:
- All in one venue?
- Big or small?
- Relaxed or formal?
- Inside or outside?
- Urban or rural or coastal?
- Unique or package?
- Adults only or child friendly?
- Organised for you or somewhere you can bring together your own group of suppliers?
- What kind of theme do you want?
- Vintage
- Rustic
- Glamourous
- Country garden
- Festival
- Tropical
- Medieval
- Carnival
- etc etc
4.Legally speaking
You could have a religious or civil ceremony, or perhaps have a blessing in an amazing off-the-beaten track location and do the legal bit at another time. According to the Citizens Advice Bureau in the UK, at the moment you can legally get married in the following places:
- a Register Office
- premises approved by the local authority such as a hotel
- a church of the Church of England, Church in Wales, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian or Roman Catholic Church in N. Ireland (opposite sex couples only)
- a synagogue or any other private place if both partners are Jewish
- a Meeting House if one or both partners are either members of the Society of Friends (Quakers) or are associated with the Society by attending meetings
- any registered religious building (England and Wales only)
- the home of one of the partners if the partner is housebound or detained, for example, in prison
- a place where one partner is seriously ill and not expected to recover, for example, in hospital
- a licensed naval, military or air force chapel
In addition, owners of premises that are regularly open to the public (ie stately homes, hotels and civic buildings) can apply to hold civil marriages. Generally these places need to be in a permanent built structure and not an open air venue. So it’s worth checking with your dream venue to check if you could get legally married there.
5.Location, location, location
Whether you’re having a one-stop venue, or having the legal part somewhere else, you’ll want to have somewhere you can relax, eat and have fun with your guests after the ceremony. There are lots of different types of venues to chose from for your wedding reception including:
- Aquarium
- Barn
- Beach
- Castle
- Gallery
- Historic venues
- Hotel
- Landmark venues
- Library
- Marquee style – see my guide to a tipi wedding
- Museum
- Outdoors
- Own home
- Pub
- Restaurant
- Sporting venues
- Stately home
- Zoo
How far in advance you’re planning might open up more possibilities and how much you have to spend will offer different options. Plus the number of guests will complete the trinity of factors that will influence where you pick.
See my list of Top 20 venues in and around Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds for some local venue inspiration.
6.Size does matter
With your trusty (and let’s be honest probably controversial and stress inducing) guest list at the ready, you’ll be able to determine what size of venue you need. Other things to think about with your guests include:
- Will you be feeding all the guests?
- Will it be a sit down meal or buffet? (If you want to all be sat around tables that could change the number of people you can fit in a room versus if people are stood mingling around.)
- Will you be having all the guests for the whole day? Or will you have some for the meal and some will come in addition later for the evening?
The size of the venue will influence how many guests you can invite but you could increase the numbers by having an evening section that doesn’t require everyone to be sat down to eat.
7.Icing on the cake
So what’s really important to you? What are the things you won’t compromise on – those things that your wedding venue must have to make your wedding perfect?
- Do you require parking? How much parking is required?
- What facilities are important to you?
- Do you need disabled access?
- How many rooms will you need?
- What size of rooms are available?
- Are there separate rooms for getting ready beforehand?
- Is there a space for children or for elderly to escape the main area?
- Will yours be the only wedding at that venue on the day?
- Is there accommodation at the venue?
What facilities or factors are on your non-negotiable list?
8.The fine detail
They’re probably not deal breakers, but there may be a few minor points that could sway your decision or would give a different day depending on the decisions by individual venues about their policies on:
- Confetti
- Candles
- Marquees
- Fireworks
- Helicopters
- Music switch off time
- Enough power
- Use of your own suppliers
- License for alcohol
Picking your venue may be time consuming but the effort will be worth it as the venue is probably the most expensive element of the day, so you want it to be right. Once you’ve sorted the venue (and set the date) then you can start planning all the other finer details. With the who, where and how much at the fore front of your mind, everything else can fall in to place.
More about the money side of things soon in the last element of the holy trinity of wedding planning: how much.
by Hanami Dream | 26, May, 2016 | blog, traditions
In Victorian times, it was popular for people to use hidden gestures to communicate their feelings and often they would covey these with flowers as they connected them each with it’s own meaning. It was an elaborate code for lovers or suitors to send messages to each other.
Another custom is to spell out the name of your future spouse using the initial letters of the flowers. Even Kate Middleton had Sweet William flowers in her wedding bouquet to Prince William.
Nowadays, you could use the meaning of flowers to help narrow down your selection for your wedding flowers. (Don’t forget to also consider what is in season, traditions and the colours of flowers too).
Here’s a list of some meanings of flowers to help with your wedding flower decision:
- Acacia: friendship
- Agapanthus: secret love
- Apple Blossom: good fortune
- Aster: contentment
- Azalea: abundance
- Carnation: fascination / love
- Chrysanthemum (red): I love you / sharing
- Chrysanthemum (white): truth
- Daffodil: regards
- Dahlia: dignity and elegance
- Daisy: innocence
- Forget Me Not: true love / remembrance
- Freesia: trust
- Gypsophila: innocence
- Heather: luck
- Honeysuckle: generosity
- Hyacinth (white): loveliness
- Hydrangea: vanity
- Iris: faith
- Ivy: good Luck / eternal fidelity
- Jasmine: amiability
- Lavender: distrust
- Lilac: first love
- Lily: purity
- Lily of the Valley: return of happiness
- Lisianthus: calming / appreciation
- Magnolia: perseverance
- Marigold: grief
- Orchid: beauty
- Peony: bashful
- Rose: love
- Snowdrop: hope
- Sunflower: adoration
- Sweet pea: pleasure
- Tulip: love
- Violet: faithfulness
This is by know means an exhaustive list but just a starting guide to begin thinking about what meanings are associated with flowers for your big day. Take a look at some other blog posts on colours, seasonality and tradition of flowers at weddings.
by Hanami Dream | 25, May, 2016 | blog, tips
As I’ve mentioned in a few recent posts, picking your wedding flowers can be daunting with so much choice. But you can narrow down your selection by looking at what is in season on your big day and you may be swayed by what the colour and meaning of the flowers are said to signify too.
Here’s a quick run down of some colours and what they symbolise:
WHITE
- Purity
- Chastity
- Innocence
- New beginnings
RED
- Expression of love
- Conveys deep emotions
- Romantic
ORANGE
- Passion
- Energy
- Fascination
YELLOW
- Exuberance
- Joy
- Friendship
- Caring
GREEN
- Nature
- Harmony
- Fertility
- Peace
- Tranquillity
- Good health
BLUE
PINK
- Gratitude
- Happiness
- Admiration
- Elegance
- Grace
PURPLE
- Enchantment
- Regal
- Splendour
- Pride
- Success
Take a look at some other blog posts on seasonality, traditions and meaning of flowers at weddings.
by Hanami Dream | 25, May, 2016 | blog, tips
When I was planning my own wedding, I had a vision that the church would be bursting to the rafters with copious amounts of flowers flowing from every flat surface. I wanted to go on one of our romantic country walks near where we lived and collect up armful after armful of beautiful cow parsley and adorn the church with swathes of the lovely white flowers. I wanted the feeling of a country day to be in abundance as the first impression for my guests. However, I had overlooked one very crucial fact (one which Dee McMeeking makes in her guest post this month). I got married in August and by the height of the summer there wouldn’t be any cow parsley gracing the lanes of the British countryside anymore. I had to rethink my plan and pick flowers that were in season at the time of my wedding. (Don’t worry my amazing florist made such great suggestions on flowers that the place looked amazing anyway!)
To help you start to choose your flowers, here’s a very brief guide to some of the most popular flowers and shrubs used at weddings and when they’re mainly in season in the UK (and therefore more readily available and at a more reasonable price):
SPRING
- Apple Blossom
- Azalea
- Bluebell
- Broom
- Carnation
- Cherry Blossom
- Chrysanthemum
- Clematis
- Daffodil
- Daisy
- Forsythia
- Freesia
- Gladioli
- Honeysuckle
- Iris
- Jasmine
- Lilac
- Lily
- Orchid
- Polyanthus
- Rhododendron
- Tulip
SUMMER
- Aster
- Azalea
- Calla Lily
- Carnation
- Chrysanthemum
- Cornflower
- Daisy
- Dahlia
- Delphinium
- Forget Me Not
- Freesia
- Fuchsia
- Gerbera
- Gladioli
- Heather
- Hollyhock
- Hyacinth
- Iris
- Jasmine
- Lavender
- Lilac
- Lily
- Lily of the Valley
- Lisianthus
- Lupin
- Marigold
- Orchid
- Peony
- Rhododendron
- Rose
- Sunflower
- Sweet Pea
- Sweet William
- Zinnia
AUTUMN
- Chrysanthemum
- Dahlia
- Freesia
- Gladioli
- Gypsophila
- Hydrangea
- Iris
- Lily
- Lisianthus
- Orchid
- Rose
- Sunflower
WINTER
- Calla Lily
- Carnation
- Chrysanthemum
- Forsythia
- Freesia
- Gerbera
- Gypsophila
- Iris
- Lily
- Lisianthus
- Orchid
- Rose
- Snowdrop
This is by know means an exhaustive list but just a starting guide to begin thinking about what is available for your big day. Take a look at some other blog posts on colours, traditions and meaning of flowers at weddings.
